NiKau Palm seed spouting after 4 days in water?!

[timj17]

Hi Everyone,

Just had some seeds delivered from RPS. Nikau (chatham Island), Butia Eriospatha, Jubaea chilensis, Syagrus Coronata amongst others.

I put some Nikau seeds in water for 4 days, changing twice a day and one appears to be sprouting already! At first I thought it was a spec of perlite found it's way into the water, but no.. it's a sprout (I think!)

I've put it in a bag with equal amounts of compost, perlite and Sphagnum moss, and placed it on top of or a heated seed tray (about 25c). Does that sound ok, I read somewhere they don't like to be too hot?

[media]http://www.flickr.com/photos/68301941@N02/8938066868/[/media]

[timj17]

Sorry, couldn't work out how to embed an image. How do you do it?

[fgtbell]

Hi,

Well done on germinating the Nikau.

For images I use the "place inline" button after uploading.

25C sounds fine for your seed. It's important not to let the moss dry out. Since you have it on a heated tray then the moss at the bottom of the bag will dry out, and the newly emerging root will also dry out once it reaches the bottom of the bag. Once that happens, it's all over, I've never seen them send out a second root from the seed. I've probably lost more from drying out than anything else. When potting on, be very careful - palm roots are notoriously fragile. Good luck.

[Dave Brown]

Hi Tim, and welcome

I have a large Chatham Island Nikau bought from the Palm Centre about 12 years ago. It got to about 6ft tall then I let it get frosted and completely defoliated It has recovered now but took 4 years. I germinated South Island seed last year, but they are incredibly slooooow.

[timj17]

Hi,

Thanks for the advise on roots drying out, I'll watch out for that.

Dave, do you have any photos of your Nikau, interesting to see how healthy they look in the UK? I would love a mature Nikau, I've never seen one for sale in the UK.

Tim

[fgtbell]

Hi Tim,

I think they have one on Tresco but it is not mature. It seems to thrive there. Bearing in mind that the Chatham Island form comes from 44 degrees South, just for fun I looked to see where in Europe is 44 degrees North... Rocquefort !

So even at Tresco, nearly 50 degrees North, it has a shorter winter day than at the Chatham Islands.

I think this is the Tresco one, but I am rubbish at ID'ing things:

[Dave Brown]

Dave, do you have any photos of your Nikau, interesting to see how healthy they look in the UK? I would love a mature Nikau, I've never seen one for sale in the UK.

Tim

Here is a brief history Tim

December 2007

Nikau leaf December 2007

April 2009 after being frosted

September 2009 regrowth under way

April 2013

[GREVILLE]

Hi, Tim. Welcome to HTUK

I ordered some Nikau seeds and a few germinated in water after two days (South Island). Best of all was the entire batch of R. 'Great Barrier Island' had germinated in transit and all now healthy young seedlings.

[timj17]

Hi,

Thanks for the pictures Dave. I have seen the Tresco ones a while ago but it's interesting to see what can happen to one in a normal UK climate. So did it have successful winters outside unprotected before the 2009 set back?

Greville - I've just noticed that I ordered Barrier Island seeds as well! (thought I clicked on Chatham Islands - Oceania). So we may have the same fresh seeds! I'm not sure how much difference it makes? It does say somewhere that Chatham Islands seeds are the most cold hardy and these being the most northerly may be the least cold hardy - oh well!

Thanks, Tim

[Dave Brown]

Hi,

Thanks for the pictures Dave. I have seen the Tresco ones a while ago but it's interesting to see what can happen to one in a normal UK climate. So did it have successful winters outside unprotected before the 2009 set back?
Thanks, Tim

It was outside from 2005 and the coldest was -5.6C but we had individual frosts with warmish days between. Winter 2008/9 was also -5.6C so equalled the coldest, but the difference was there were 2 weeks where the temps bearly got above freezing. I think that was the determining factor. Since then we have been back to freezes every winter so isn't being risked outside again.

[timj17]

Following on from my sucess with Nikau seeds from RPS (I've got about 30 seedlings so far of the Great Barrier Island form), I've just recently been lucky enough to harvest just a few fresh nikau seeds from a mature nikau in Tresco.

I placed them in water to soak to aid the flesh removal and once again they have started to germinate already! A whitish swelling is appearing on the ends of nearly all the red seeds and some immature green seeds too.

Should I risk removing the flesh, or leave them with the flesh intact? I don't want to damage the embryo but also don't want mould/fungus from the fleshy fruit as it rots away.

Thanks, Tim

[Dave Brown]

if you know where the shoot emerges then I'd clean, being very careful. If you leave the flesh on it will attract fungus like wasps to a jam pot.

[timj17]

Hi Dave,

Ok I'll give it a go. Anyone know what variety the Tresco Nikaus are? I would assume Chatham Island (Oceana) would be the best match for the Tresco climate, but they were just labelled as plain Rhopalostylis sapida.

They have maybe over 50 in the Abbey Gardens dotted all over the place, and probably at least 10 in flower. I'd estimate the tallest to be around 25-30ft now. I'll post some pictures if I can, Do I need more privileges to upload images? I don't have the button people talk about.

Thanks, Tim

[cichlidfish]

How are the nikau seedlings now? I've recently purchased some already germinated south island seeds and planted them up. They have not grown anything noticeable yet, are they really that slow? I have other palm seedlings growing fast.

[timj17]

Hi,

All my Great Barrier Island seedlings are all doing well. I think I have arround 50 seedlings from my 100 seeds. The seeds were put into sphagnum moss with a bit of peat and perlite added and seemed to like it quite moist and I've had no problems with rotting so far.

They are in the greenhouse (only heated to a min of 2c) and all looking healthy and most have there second leaf. I'll take a photo when I'm home in the light.

I also picked up some Nikau seeds in Tresco whilst there in September and these have done really well with a good germination rate, snd quicker growth, see photo below.

I also bought some sprouted South Island a few weeks ago (from Trebrown I presume?) and they are a bit slow but look healthy and I'm sure they'll pickup with a bit of heat.