Shoots 'n' Roots
A practical, personal article, alternative title:
'Adventures of an Amateur Propagator'
Paul Saunders. 23 Summerfields Drive, Blaxton, Doncaster, DN9
3BH, U.K.
Chamaerops No.25 Winter 1996/97
Following the article by Stefan Mifsud of Malta on
germinating palm seed, I thought I would put my recent first experiences
on paper to share with other palm enthusiasts. On 21st September
1996 1 went along with my family for the annual holiday to Majorca,
staying in a small resort named Sa Coma. Palm trees in fruit were
everywhere - paradise, I thought! The predominant species were Washingtonia
filifera, Chamaerops humilis, and Phoenix species. The Washingtonias
were in heavy fruit, small green fruits hung below the leaves. As
I am 6'2 tall, I was able to stretch a long arm and pull off a few
of the lowest fruit, however, on examination it was clear that the
seeds were far from ripe. So down onto my hands and knees. I found
hundreds of small round black seeds (about half the size of a pea).
I collected many but wondered if they would still be viable.
Later, when walking up the main street I noticed that
some of the fruits on a couple of the Washingtonias were distinctly
browner than the previous ones. On checking the ground below these
trees I found many freshly fallen brown fruit. Carefully opening
up the fruit I found a clean fresh seed - perfect! Many were collected,
much to the surprise of the other tourists.
Next I searched for Phoenix canariensis Fortunately,
the local authority gardeners were stripping the lower branches
of the P. C. 's and many fresh orange fruit were to be found lying
on the ground. As for Chamaerops humilis, whilst there were many
specimens locally I struggled to find any in fruit. I had hired
a car for a few days and on a trip to Forinentor I found a grove
of Chamaerops growing wild, adjacent to a car park. There were many
plants in fruit and many fruits on the ground. Even more exciting
though was the vast number of small seedlings. Not having a trowel
with me, I used a stone to dig one up. It now survives in my greenhouse.
On coming home on October 5th, I re-read the article
on seed germination in the no. 23 Summer issue of 'Chamaerops' My
pocket did not - stretch to purchasing a propagator, so for £9,
I bought a max/min thermometer and put it in the airing cupboard.
This revealed a maximum temperature of 32ūC and a minimum of 26ūC.
Ideal I thought. I cleaned the fruit off all the seeds and soaked
them in warm water in the airing cupboard for 24 hours. I then planted,
on October 6th, about 100 Washingtonias (both old and fresh seeds)
and about 60 each of Phoenix canariensis and Chamaerops humilis.
They were sown in individual modules about 1 inch across by 2 inches
deep (2.5cm by 5cm). On the 6th day I started poking my fingers
into the soil and to my great astonishment I noticed small white
shoots emerging from the Washingtonias and on day 9 I noticed white
sprouts emerging from the Phoenix!
On October 2Oth, 15 days after sowing, I took the
trays out of the airing cupboard. At this stage the Washingtonias
had a i/4 inch white sprout just above the soil surface and the
Phoenix had 1 inch long white roots which were still heading down
into the soil. The trays were placed on slatted greenhouse staging
and a small i/2kw electric heater was placed underneath to provide
some bottom heat. On the 21st day after sowing I found one Chamaerops
seed had a 1 inch long white root identical to that of the Phoenix.
These seeds remain in the airing cupboard as even now, 25 days after
sowing, only 5 have sprouted. But for Chamae rops it is still early
days.
It is now 3Oth October and the Washingtonias in the
greenhouse are growing slowly but surely, the tallest are about
1-1 1/2inches. The Phoenix have a much more vigorous initial root
development and those in the small modules quickly developed 2-2
1/2 inch white shoots. I have potted these up into individual 3
inch pots, about 30 in all. As well as the the seeds mentioned I
potted up about 25 seeds of the edible date, Phoenix dactylifera
I ate the fruit and soaked the seeds as before for 2 days. I then
planted these all in a 15 inch (35cm) pot and placed it in the airing
cupboard on 8th October. The first white shoots appeared after only
12 days! Now, on the 3Oth October, almost all have shoots, the longest
about 3inches. I already have 4 date seedlings grown from seeds
sown in March. These now have 7inch dark green spear leaves.
The temperatures in the greenhouse at present, with
the heater, are averaging 21ūC by day and 10ūC by night. Due to
the fact that my garden faces north, it gets very little sun at
this time of year to heat the greenhouse further. I hope this has
given to other palm enthusiasts some encouragement to collect seeds
and sow them. Expensive propagators aren't always a necessity. I
have never sown palm seeds before and I do not know whether they
will survive the winter in the greenhouse.
One question l would like to ask is this: Do the initial
white shoots on Phoenix and Chamaerops which push deep into the
soil, turn and push upwards through the soil surface to become the
first green leaf? Or does a separate shoot develop and push straight
up with the initial shoot developing into the first root? In due
course, ie. springtime,l intend to write a follow-up to inform readers
of the progress of the seedlings. In the meantime. good luck to
all palm growers for the rest of this this winter!
Paul Saunders. 23 Summerfields Drive, Blaxton, Doncaster, DN9 3BH,
U.K.

|
 |
 |
02-02-23 - 10:58GMT
|
 |
What's New? |
 |
New palm book |
Date: 24-05-2004 |

An Encyclopedia
of Cultivated Palms
by Robert Lee Riffle, Paul Craft. |
 |
New: Issue 48 |
Date: 24-05-2004 |
Chamaerops
48
has been published in the Members Area. |
 |
Archive complete! |
Date: 03-12-2002 |
All Chamaerops issues can now be found in the archive:
More than 350 articles are on-line! |
 |
Issues 13 to 16 |
Date: 28-08-2002 |
Chamaerops mags 13,
14,
15
and 16
have been added to the members area. More than 250 articles are now online! |
 |
42 as free pdf-file |
Date: 05-08-2002 |
Free
Download! Chamaerops No. 42 can be downloaded for free to intruduce the new layout and size to
our visitors |
 |
Issues 17 to 20 |
Date: 23-07-2002 |
Chamaerops mags 17,
18,
19
and 20
have been added to the members area. Now 218 articles online! |
 |
Book List |
Date: 28-05-2001 |
Take
a look at our brand new Book List edited by Carolyn Strudwick |
 |
New Book |
Date: 25-01-2001 |
'Palmen
in Mitteleuropa'
by Mario Stähler
This german book tells you all about how to cultivate your palms in Central Europe. more... |
 |
|
|
|
|