Wodyetia Bifurcata Seeds (Foxtail Palm).

[HarryandNess]

Sean sent 5 different seed packs from Australia but this forum is only for the Wodyetia Bifurcata. Here's a link to a picture of some seeds (thanks Sean):
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/d ... &mode=view

They arrived on 26/1/12. Then they were shipped out to members who wanted varying amounts.

One seed had germinated before it left Australia. It looked a bit dry & poorly, with black blotches, so we misted it, potted it and put it in a warm place. Here's a pic before it was potted. It shows where the sprout emerges.

Our Wodyetia seeds were soaked in warm water then scrubbed and cleaned until all the pulp was gone. We pulled back some of the spines (near where it sprouts) and gently rubbed the inner seed with some sandpaper. They were then sown in damp, shallow vermiculite, covered and placed on a heat mat. From what I've read they like a warm humid atmosphere. We'll see what happens

[HarryandNess]

[quote="JoelR"]Interesting to see where the woodyetia will germinate from. It's at the opposite end to where the seeds feel soft. May have to investigate after the 48 hour soak.

It's great that Sean sent it, at least I had a clue what to do & where to do it
Ness

[redsquirrel]

i didnt bother soaking or scraping mine,just bagged up in spag moss,popped in the airing cupbard and left them to it.dont know how many popped,plenty of roots in the bag

[HarryandNess]

...but the pulp was all mushy and smelly PheeEW! Please say you didn't put any of that in the airing cupboard

Ness

[Troppoz]

Ness the seeds that I sent to Darren previously didnt have any flesh on them as it had already rotted away by the time I picked them up off the ground. Yours however had pretty much fallen from the tree then straight into the bag mushy skin intact.

I think the skin can inhibit germination and received wisdom here is that it needs to ferment and be washed off before they will germinate, so I think you are doing the right thing

[redsquirrel]

noo Ness,deb would kill me if i did that. i did once stuff a 25l bag of ji no2 in there to warm up though, got away with that one.

[tropical Tom]

strange to see the one in the pic with seedling leaves but no root I had some from Sean last year and all 5 sprouted easily but threw down a root first, maybe yours got the root snapped off!

[JoelR]

strange to see the one in the pic with seedling leaves but no root I had some from Sean last year and all 5 sprouted easily but threw down a root first, maybe yours got the root snapped off!

Good point. Didn't spot that!

[HarryandNess]

strange to see the one in the pic with seedling leaves but no root I had some from Sean last year and all 5 sprouted easily but threw down a root first, maybe yours got the root snapped off!

Thanks Tom. Very useful to know. I'd never even heard of these until recently let alone know what they look like.

Ness

[Troppoz]

strange to see the one in the pic with seedling leaves but no root I had some from Sean last year and all 5 sprouted easily but threw down a root first, maybe yours got the root snapped off!

Well spotted Tom, I thought it was curious too which is why I put it in. I dont think that its roots was broken. Ness can confirm that it didnt throw one out. All the other germinated seedlings I was pulling out had the long root which was snapped off.

Unless Im mistaken?

[grub]

Check out the 'Animation' tab

[HarryandNess]

strange to see the one in the pic with seedling leaves but no root I had some from Sean last year and all 5 sprouted easily but threw down a root first, maybe yours got the root snapped off!

Just thought, do you have a picture of yours with a root? Be good to see if you do

I dont think that its roots was broken. Ness can confirm that it didnt throw one out. All the other germinated seedlings I was pulling out had the long root which was snapped off. Unless Im mistaken?

Doh! All I know is, it looked like the photo when it arrived. I didn't notice any loose roots in the bag...sorry I'm not more helpful

Ness

[HarryandNess]

Check out the 'Animation' tab

Hi Grub, How do I do that?
Ness

[JoelR]

It looks to me as though it germinated (root first) and the root has withered afterwards. I have this problem sometimes when palm seeds have germinated and are transplanted into pots. Always risky moving seedlings from one environment to another. The seed is big enough though. It might have more than one embryo and germinate again! It happens quite often with palm seeds.

[grub]

Check out the 'Animation' tab

Hi Grub, How do I do that?
Ness

Well obviously you have to use the link I never posted, didn't you know?
http://www.davespalmpages.co.uk/