Arlons Blog: Propagating Cycas revoluta "aurea" ..SUCCESS !

[kata]

Good luck, looking forward to those eggs hatching...

[fern Rob]

Any idea how long they take to germinate.

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

No idea tbh Rob, could be a few weeks , could be months. Its a waiting game now.

but generally have good results with the Cycads I've tried.

Di

Di, what have you tried and been successful with. I wouldn't mind trying some others

[DiCasS]

Mark I've only probably tried a handful including Cycad revs (ordinary), pectinata, Dioone edule, Zamia skinneri, Lepidozamia perofskyana, and maybe one or two more which I can't remember off-hand. All done the same way as yours. I think to germinate as long as the temps are good, they have a bit of moisture in the perlite, then I've found non of them fussy at all.

Over the years Mike and I used to share costs of some seeds (as some were expensive) and in the beginning used to give me lots of advice and 'how to' as he was a dab hand with Cycads, then it was a race on who's germinated first It's fun getting them to germinate and exciting seeing those shoots appear.

Be careful though, there's some beautiful Cycads out there and it's very addictive.

Di

[fern Rob]

Interesting to see how they go on.

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Be careful though, there's some beautiful Cycads out there and it's very addictive.

Di

Too late Di, hooked.......
I've been tempted to get some blue's but as Mike said the other day, they need a lot of dry heat to keep them blue and tend to remain green / greenyblue in the UK. Seeds are expensive to fail with , so maybe i'll treat myself to one or two small blue's and see how they go

[miketropic]

There is a place over here called Jungle music..I'm sure you can locate it with a google search. They sell some VERY rare..and blue cycads. IDK if they sell seeds but they might and the guy who runs it is super nice, he Just might ship to the UK. If not you know I will so have a look around his site and see if anything catchs your eye. I'm going to get a few palms from him in the summer, hes good for those as well

[DiCasS]

Be careful though, there's some beautiful Cycads out there and it's very addictive.

Di

Too late Di, hooked.......
I've been tempted to get some blue's but as Mike said the other day, they need a lot of dry heat to keep them blue and tend to remain green / greenyblue in the UK. Seeds are expensive to fail with , so maybe i'll treat myself to one or two small blue's and see how they go

I've bought lovely little plants, one or two leaf starter cycads from Minor Gardens in the past at very reasonable prices. Also has an e-bay shop as well. I'm not sure what he has at the moment though, but might be worth checking it out.

Blue/silver ones, they aren't so vibrant grown in the UK, but comparing them side by side against a green plant, there's a definite difference and worth trying I think.

Di

[redsquirrel]

maybe your mate Ivan could ship you some from his homeland

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Cyathea cooperi spore propagation

My two large cooperi's, currently overwintering the garage, have dropped their spore .I've collected some that has dropped onto the back of some sun loungers as opposed to collecting it off the floor. No other ferns are being overwintered in there, so no chance of the cooperi spore being contaminated with other spore from other ferns





I've microwaved some moist compost and perlite for a few minutes to sterilize it and then left it to cool.........



Mixed it up to a ratio of about 50 /50



and then sprinkled the cooperi spore on top......



I then sprayed it with some warm water to add further moisture and to take the spore into the mix naturally.......



I know its a lot of spore for a tub that size but if / when it does germinate, i'll spread the mix over a bigger tray. Space is a premium in the prop right now until my jumbo Bio Green propagator comes in the new year.

Now the tub is covered to keep in the moisture , put into the prop .........



My first time propagating any tree fern spore, so its fingers crossed for a good crop.

[fern Rob]

Good luck, I have never been successful with them, if it works you should propagate some C robusta.

[miketropic]

I tried some chain fern spore before but no luck either.maybe you will do better with the prop than I did with out

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Good luck, I have never been successful with them,

I tried some chain fern spore before but no luck either

Seems to be the general feedback i've been getting all round but its gotta be worth a try i reckon.........

[Tom2006]

Keep us updated would be great if you could. Got a baby Antarctica growing in one of my bonsai pots that I left underneath my Dicksonia antarctica over last winter.

[miketropic]

Good luck, I have never been successful with them,

I tried some chain fern spore before but no luck either

Seems to be the general feedback i've been getting all round but its gotta be worth a try i reckon.........

If it does work you won't have a place to put them all.good luck to you I will be watching.