licuala seeds

[Plantasexoticas]

Well patience is definitely key with seeds. I purchased Licuala peltata var. 'sumawongii and had almost given up. They were originally in a heated propagator but didn't do anything. After quite some time I had taken them out of the propagator and for several months they were kept at a cool room temperature. A couple weeks ago I popped them back in the propagator on heat and 2 of them have germinated! It has taken almost a year. Are they always just slow and do the seeds benefit from the cool period?

 

[NatureGirl]

To speed up germination on those, you should have cracked and removed the outer shell. They sprout much quicker that way.

[Plantasexoticas]

2 hours ago, NatureGirl said:

To speed up germination on those, you should have cracked and removed the outer shell. They sprout much quicker that way.

Thank you - I might try that with some of the more stubborn ones to see if it helps. 

[Really full garden]

Mine took almost three years in sunny/warm Guatemala. These have been the slowest palm seeds for me to germinate. I did not crack the shell.

[NatureGirl]

Here's my L. peltata 'sumawongii' seedlings, planted the seeds in July 2016. Just let them dry a little, then put them on a hard surface (I use the sidewalk) and roll around with your foot applying light pressure. Then the shells crack and can be removed. Then soak and plant. But they can be erratic germinators. As you can see, some still just coming up in second pot. I do it for L. spinosa too. 

[mike in kurtistown]

I had one (out of ten) of one species germinate after 22 months. One of ten of another species took 26 months. Others have never done anything. Even if freshly picked, they can take over a year. On the other hand, I sowed ten fresh Licuala naumannii seeds and had five sprouts in less than two months, two more by four months. It's go figure time for Licuala seeds. I haven't tried using heat, but the outside temperature range here is not great.