Advice on seed germination

[Frond of Palms]

Hello all,

 

 I just recently acquired some seed that I don’t have any experience germinating. In fact the only seeds I have successfully germinated are Queen, Chinese, Silver Date and CIDP palms. Could I please have some advice on the best way to germinate Sabal palmetto “Lisa” and Sabal minor seed? Should I wait until spring or can they be started now…do I put them in community pots…native soil…etc…? Also for the first time my Chamaedorea microspadix has produced seed and would like to know how and when on these as well. Any consideration will be very much appreciated.

 

Thank you,

John

 

[gyuseppe]

all sabal are fast and easy to sprout
Also chamaedorea microspadix and easy to sprout

chamaedorea to produce seeds, it takes male and female, you have both?

[Frond of Palms]

16 minutes ago, gyuseppe said:

all sabal are fast and easy to sprout
Also chamaedorea microspadix and easy to sprout

chamaedorea to produce seeds, it takes male and female, you have both?

Giuseppe,

 In my back garden I only have one C. microspadix clump that has about eight stems, and only the largest of them produced about one dozen seed that grew and turned red in color. I also have in my front garden C. cataractarum that produces seed but I have never had any luck with germination. Are you suggesting that the seed may not be viable?

[gyuseppe]

you're sure to have just a plant microspadix?
seeds are large enough?
you  have some chamaedorea radicalis near your microspadix?

[Pal Meir]

5 minutes ago, Frond of Palms said:

Giuseppe,

 In my back garden I only have one C. microspadix clump that has about eight stems, and only the largest of them produced about one dozen seed that grew and turned red in color. I also have in my front garden C. cataractarum that produces seed but I have never had any luck with germination. Are you suggesting that the seed may not be viable?

Maybe they are hollow. I had the same experience with a Ch. elegans, producing very nice an ripe "fruits" … Have a look inside one of the seeds!

[Frond of Palms]

11 minutes ago, gyuseppe said:

you're sure to have just a plant microspadix?
seeds are large enough?
you  have some chamaedorea radicalis near your microspadix?

I do have six C. radicals plants but they are seedlings in 1 gallon containers not mature to flower.

[Frond of Palms]

8 minutes ago, Pal Meir said:

Maybe they are hollow. I had the same experience with a Ch. elegans, producing very nice an ripe "fruits" … Have a look inside one of the seeds!

Hello Pal Meir,

 The seed from C. microspadix and cataractarum are not hollow...I have cut them in half with a knife and they are solid.

[Silas_Sancona]

Germination of both Sabals you have should be fast and easy.. Batches of "Lisa" seed id gathered back in late September/ early October were germinating by thanksgiving, same with S. minor. As for Chamaedorea.. for all the ones I have tried, most took their time germinating.. with C. metallica seed off my own plants taking 4 months.. Seed of other species i set back in october are just now starting to pop. Most of my seed batches are left out in the elements, placed on the patio in the shade of larger other plants and kept moist. 

[Pal Meir]

3 hours ago, Frond of Palms said:

Hello Pal Meir,

 The seed from C. microspadix and cataractarum are not hollow...I have cut them in half with a knife and they are solid.

Those Ch. elegans fruits were pollinated with Ch. metallica, trying to get a hybrid …

Perhaps this experience I had with Sabal minor seeds may be helpful: In September 2002 I ordered from RPS two portions of Sabal minor var louisiana and got 26 seeds. I soaked them for one day and used then the baggy method with Kokohum® (coir). Within 10 weeks only 4/26 had germinated. Frustrated I put the remaining 22 seeds into the refrigerator and left them there for 5 weeks at ca. 5°C. Afterwards I soaked them in hot water and placed them again in Kokohum. Within only 1 week all remaining 22 seeds had sprouted.

[Frond of Palms]

On 12/13/2015, 11:08:50, gyuseppe said:

you're sure to have just a plant microspadix?
seeds are large enough?
you  have some chamaedorea radicalis near your microspadix?

I do believe this plant is Chamaedora microspadix....as it was labeled when sold to me at a local University plant show. Here are some images before I harvested the seed...and I don't have any other Chamaedora plants that produce seed or flower except for C. cataractarum as mentioned....so how these seed became is a mystery if this plant is a female...unless the stems on this clump can have both sexes, and I don't believe any of my neighbors have this plant as well.

 

[Frond of Palms]

On 12/13/2015, 3:24:54, Pal Meir said:

Those Ch. elegans fruits were pollinated with Ch. metallica, trying to get a hybrid …

Perhaps this experience I had with Sabal minor seeds may be helpful: In September 2002 I ordered from RPS two portions of Sabal minor var louisiana and got 26 seeds. I soaked them for one day and used then the baggy method with Kokohum® (coir). Within 10 weeks only 4/26 had germinated. Frustrated I put the remaining 22 seeds into the refrigerator and left them there for 5 weeks at ca. 5°C. Afterwards I soaked them in hot water and placed them again in Kokohum. Within only 1 week all remaining 22 seeds had sprouted.

Very interesting…because of a low germination rate did you try to facilitate weather conditions of a cold snap by placing them in the refrigerator, and then by placing in hot water to emulate warm spring like temperatures to stimulate the embryo?

[Frond of Palms]

On 12/13/2015, 3:22:54, Silas_Sancona said:

Germination of both Sabals you have should be fast and easy.. Batches of "Lisa" seed id gathered back in late September/ early October were germinating by thanksgiving, same with S. minor. As for Chamaedorea.. for all the ones I have tried, most took their time germinating.. with C. metallica seed off my own plants taking 4 months.. Seed of other species i set back in october are just now starting to pop. Most of my seed batches are left out in the elements, placed on the patio in the shade of larger other plants and kept moist. 

Thanks Silas_Sancona....the seller of the seed has PM me and has explained how easy the Sabals are to germinate, and I will most likely leave them outside in pots in partial sun to let Mother Nature do her thing.

[Pal Meir]

37 minutes ago, Frond of Palms said:

Very interesting…because of a low germination rate did you try to facilitate weather conditions of a cold snap by placing them in the refrigerator, and then by placing in hot water to emulate warm spring like temperatures to stimulate the embryo?

Yes, exactly this was my intention.

[Silas_Sancona]

Sounds perfect.. the only thing that might slow down or delay germination might be the weather, if.. it cools off. Pretty sure the warmer than normal fall and pre- winter temps this year here  have helped get more seed batches to germinate than what id assume would be normal.  I will say, seeing community pots full of potential Lisas germinating really makes your day   perhaps more so than the Cop. hospitas also peeking out of their pots atm -Good luck

Nathan (Silas Sancona)

[gyuseppe]

The most logical explanation for me, is that you have male and female of microspadix

you bought your microspadix  already great? and he had more stems?

[Phoenikakias]

7 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

The most logical explanation for me, is that you have male and female of microspadix

you bought your microspadix  already great? and he had more stems?

It is easy to find out whether stems in the clump are different male plants; I see that you let stems untrimmed, so you can search on the stems for the most recent inflorescences. If they are not loaded with fruits (and you have not collected eventual fruits yourself), then these inflorescences are male.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Phoenikakias

[Frond of Palms]

On 12/15/2015, 3:39:50, Phoenikakias said:

It is easy to find out whether stems in the clump are different male plants; I see that you let stems untrimmed, so you can search on the stems for the most recent inflorescences. If they are not loaded with fruits (and you have not collected eventual fruits yourself), then these inflorescences are male.

 

At the time the photos were taken I do recall the palm was trimmed of its old leaves and any old inflorescences that didn’t produce fruit. I’m beginning to think that the grower could have put two or more seedlings in the pot and now I may have a clump with both sexes. I will pay close attention next growing season to see what happens.