Palm Seed Germination
WAITING
How long the seed will take to germinate depends on the species and
on the propagation environment. Some seeds can be seen germinating on the
tree itself and some may take six months to a year.
There's no reason why good seed in the correct environment should not enjoy a 100% germination rate, although basic facts of life suggest that not all the seed will germinate. Seeds planted together tend to germinate in rounds, so for example a third of the seed will germinate after ten weeks but wait another few weeks and another third will germinate. Many people assume incorrectly that the seed which doesn't germinate in the first round won't germinate.
Some people say that palms like nature and voodoo may come into it. Sometimes the seed won't germinate until you give up on it and neglect it or throw it away in a forgotten corner. Then up they sprout!
There's no reason why good seed in the correct environment should not enjoy a 100% germination rate, although basic facts of life suggest that not all the seed will germinate. Seeds planted together tend to germinate in rounds, so for example a third of the seed will germinate after ten weeks but wait another few weeks and another third will germinate. Many people assume incorrectly that the seed which doesn't germinate in the first round won't germinate.
Some people say that palms like nature and voodoo may come into it. Sometimes the seed won't germinate until you give up on it and neglect it or throw it away in a forgotten corner. Then up they sprout!
POST-GERMINATION
The ideal time to separate out the seedlings is when the first leaf is fully
opened. This is something like two or three weeks after the leaf first
appears above the surface. As long as the seedlings are getting water and have
enough root depth, you can leave them together for another two or three months
if you hope for more seedlings to appear in a second round of germination.
With some palm species, the first roots going down push the seed and the first seed shoot into the air so the seed is hanging above the surface. This is nothing to worry about and this part of the plant will die as it is by now redundant.
The palm seedlings can be separated out down to the bareroots and planted in individual bags appropriately sized for the palm. Before planting, you might want to soak the roots for an hour in water with a drop or two of vitamin B. The ideal life of a palm is: seed -> seedling in a bag (one or two years) -> young plant in a pot (two or three years) -> in the ground.
We hope this page has answered your palm seed germination questions. If you have bought seeds from The Palm Seed Center, thank you for your business. If you are now ready to buy seeds, you are already in the right place!
With some palm species, the first roots going down push the seed and the first seed shoot into the air so the seed is hanging above the surface. This is nothing to worry about and this part of the plant will die as it is by now redundant.
The palm seedlings can be separated out down to the bareroots and planted in individual bags appropriately sized for the palm. Before planting, you might want to soak the roots for an hour in water with a drop or two of vitamin B. The ideal life of a palm is: seed -> seedling in a bag (one or two years) -> young plant in a pot (two or three years) -> in the ground.
We hope this page has answered your palm seed germination questions. If you have bought seeds from The Palm Seed Center, thank you for your business. If you are now ready to buy seeds, you are already in the right place!
