Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Blairs

Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by Blairs »

Hi,

I have some Tetrapanax seed (am guessing species and not T-Rex) from Chilterns. The instructions found are:

*sow in light soil at 5 mm depth
*moisten
*25-30 °C
*germination: fresh seeds will germinate in a few days, otherwise in a few weeks
*repot when the seedlings are easy to handle, repot them into individual pots and protect from frost the first winter

Been 3 weeks and nothing. Am thinking with the 5mm depth that light is needed for germination (like Fatsia japonica)??? Any one any tips on germinating this and if light is needed? I am patient just want to make sure I am doing the right thing.

Cheers.
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Chad
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Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by Chad »

Good luck.

Before plants were available I tried annually with Chiltern seed for this. They are usually a good company and most things come up. Over 6 years I tried most methods with new seed each year. I never got one seedling!

Chad.
flounder

Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by flounder »

Same result here from Chilterns for Trex. Good results for other stuff from them. I think you need fresh off the plant seed for germination. They appear to lose viability very quickly in storage, but good luck
Blairs

Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by Blairs »

Thanks guys.

Good luck is normally a sign that it is not going to happen easily! So I have have just split the seed tray and going to try:

1. Germinating in hot water cupboard (humid +30-also dry clothes in there) but dark.
2. Above but taking out during daylight to window sill (so temp difference)
3. Propagator with light.

Worth a try and I like a challenge.
miketropic

Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by miketropic »

I also tried some of these from a US supplier and got nothing. my instructions were a bit differant but still no seedlings. I think some of it has to do with the company I used b/c nothing I have tried from them has germinated. I have a few other seeds I will try once it warms up to find out of they sent me 10 packs of dud seeds. good luck on the t rex seeds
daftbanana

Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by daftbanana »

Not worth the trouble from seed, much easier from root cuttings from an existing plant, you just need a a 2" piece of root and bang it in a pot somewhere warm!
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Dave Brown
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Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by Dave Brown »

daftbanana wrote:Not worth the trouble from seed, much easier from root cuttings from an existing plant, you just need a a 2" piece of root and bang it in a pot somewhere warm!
Only problem is you have to have the plant first :lol: I used to think it was foxes digging the holes, now I realise it's root cutting hunter s :lol: :lol:
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Dave
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JoelR
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Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by JoelR »

Zero germination for me too. Somebody must have got them to germinate!!
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Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by Dave Brown »

JoelR wrote:Zero germination for me too. Somebody must have got them to germinate!!
All TRex came from seed collected by Bleddyn Jones in Taiwan, so they have been germinated, but never tried from seed myself.
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Chad
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Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by Chad »

Paul Spracklin had a batch from Sandman Seeds germinate but failed when he tried again. I think a lot of the seed that is sold isn’t viable. The ‘stuff’ that is left after flowering often doesn’t contain viable seed, but gets sold anyway.

Crug had trouble – they realised that ‘Empress’ was a better garden plant than ‘Rex’ because it seldom suckered [and therefore needed to be grown form seed]. They had seed collected again from the same place, but couldn’t get it to germinate. I suspect it needs a ‘good year’ to get viable seed even in habitat.

Chad.
Ricardo

Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by Ricardo »

Tetrapanax is very easy to grow from seed as long as seed is fresh. Sow as you would Fatsia Japonica. Use an electric propagator or similar to provide the necessary heat and fill your seed tray half with John Innes number 2 on the bottom and vermiculite for the top half. Sow your seeds no more than 1/4inch deep and they germinate in 7 to 10 days.

I collected the seeds from a plant growing in Spain during the summer and if you look at the enclosed photo you will notice that some of the seedlings are albino. Big shame….if only they were half albino then I may have been on to something. However, with no chlorophyll to photosynthesise they came to nothing.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Ricardo
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Blairs

Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by Blairs »

Ricardo wrote:Tetrapanax is very easy to grow from seed as long as seed is fresh. Sow as you would Fatsia Japonica. Use an electric propagator or similar to provide the necessary heat and fill your seed tray half with John Innes number 2 on the bottom and vermiculite for the top half. Sow your seeds no more than 1/4inch deep and they germinate in 7 to 10 days.

I collected the seeds from a plant growing in Spain during the summer and if you look at the enclosed photo you will notice that some of the seedlings are albino. Big shame….if only they were half albino then I may have been on to something. However, with no chlorophyll to photosynthesise they came to nothing.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Ricardo
Gracias/Thanks for the info. I did wonder about sowing like Fatsia. The seed was from cold storage according to the packet, so not fresh, am wondering if that is the reason for no germination. I will keep trying, nothing to lose!
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JoelR
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Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by JoelR »

That's a good result Ricardo. Is that picture recent? How are the seedlings/plants doing?
flounder

Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by flounder »

As I said, fresh seed is the key. Exactly the same as fatsia, viability falls drastically in storage
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JoelR
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Re: Tetrapanax Papyrifer seed germination

Post by JoelR »

Chad wrote:Paul Spracklin had a batch from Sandman Seeds germinate but failed when he tried again. I think a lot of the seed that is sold isn’t viable. The ‘stuff’ that is left after flowering often doesn’t contain viable seed, but gets sold anyway.

Crug had trouble – they realised that ‘Empress’ was a better garden plant than ‘Rex’ because it seldom suckered [and therefore needed to be grown form seed]. They had seed collected again from the same place, but couldn’t get it to germinate. I suspect it needs a ‘good year’ to get viable seed even in habitat.

Chad.
Thanks for the link(s) Chad. Makes for a very interesting hours reading.
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