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Alberto
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:40 am Posts: 686 Location: Carambeí - State Paraná, 2nd tableland of southern Brazil
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Germinating Worsleya seeds
Despite it being a brazilian plant, Worsleya procera isn´t a common plant here, probably because it needs a temperate high altitude climate to grow and Brazil is almost tropical to equatorial. Only in the tablelands of the south the climate is a temperate subtropical climate, that probably will suit Worsleya. I have never seen a plant in the flesh but always wanted to grow one. Last week I finally could acquire 25 seeds. I´m trying to germinate them with the ''floating method'' in a cup of water nelow the aquarium light. Temperatures outside aren´t warm (today max 17 and min 10´C) I´ll try to grow them in a little greenhouse made from an old aquarium until september when temperatures begin to rise somewhat.Who has some usefull hints to grow this elusive species? THanks!
_________________ I´m looking after cold hardy plants,specially palms.
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Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:21 am |
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AlexW
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:39 pm Posts: 95 Location: Reading UK
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Wow, 25 seeds! That'd be worth a week's pay over here!
I've had good results floating seeds of related Amaryllidaceae (Pamianthe and Hippeastrum) - once the shoots are about 5 mm long I pot individually. Most species give near 100% germination and few losses on planting as long as the media is correct and they don't dry out as seedlings. My understanding of Worsleya is that the key is perfect drainage with daily water - but drying out between. Most growers seem to use chunks of stone alone for potting, but I guess you'd need something with a bit of moisture retention for seedlings. I've not even tried though as I can't offer the conditions they need.
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Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:36 am |
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Alberto
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:40 am Posts: 686 Location: Carambeí - State Paraná, 2nd tableland of southern Brazil
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Thanks Alex. The seeds are still in the aquarium with temps. of 27´C. Today I bought some perlite (difficult to find here because Brazil doesn´t produce it) , some peat and sphagnum. I´ll make a well draining humidity reataining mix for the seedlings. I hope they will show some life soon.
_________________ I´m looking after cold hardy plants,specially palms.
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Sat Jul 01, 2017 9:58 pm |
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Kev Spence
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:59 pm Posts: 10902 Location: Loughborough, Leics, central UK
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Best of luck Alberto do keep us informed on how the seeds go hopefully 25 new plants
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Mon Jul 03, 2017 9:04 pm |
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Alberto
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:40 am Posts: 686 Location: Carambeí - State Paraná, 2nd tableland of southern Brazil
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
I hope to show the progress of my seeds....
_________________ I´m looking after cold hardy plants,specially palms.
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Mon Jul 03, 2017 11:10 pm |
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Alberto
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:40 am Posts: 686 Location: Carambeí - State Paraná, 2nd tableland of southern Brazil
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
The seeds remained floating on water until a week ago,whem 4 seeds were showing a radicle. Because I would be absent from home for a week traveling with the family, I decided to transfer the seeds to sterilized sphagnum in a heated aquarium filled for 1/4 and covered with glass. Temperatures in it went from 23´C during the night to 28´C when the sun helped a bit heating it.Today I arrived and almost all the seeds germinated. Tomorrow I´ll transfer them to a mix of sphagnum, perlite and peat and they will go back to the aquarium until september when the temperatures outside will rise somewhat around 20´C.
_________________ I´m looking after cold hardy plants,specially palms.
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Tue Jul 18, 2017 11:46 pm |
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PeteFree
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 2:25 pm Posts: 1139 Location: Suffolk, UK
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Fantastic result, Alberto.
_________________ www.peterjcross.co.uk
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Wed Jul 19, 2017 6:37 am |
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Kev Spence
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:59 pm Posts: 10902 Location: Loughborough, Leics, central UK
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Excellent Alberto must be fantastic to see so many seeds germinating
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Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:33 pm |
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Alberto
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:40 am Posts: 686 Location: Carambeí - State Paraná, 2nd tableland of southern Brazil
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Yes, fantastic to see so much healthy germinators. Must be the freshness of the seeds. From the 25 , 20 germinated so far. The remaining seeds are big fat seeds, so I hope for more. But now the really difficult part of growing this rarity begins.....
_________________ I´m looking after cold hardy plants,specially palms.
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Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:54 pm |
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Alberto
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:40 am Posts: 686 Location: Carambeí - State Paraná, 2nd tableland of southern Brazil
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Today the remaining seeds also germinated, even a tiny seed. So I had 100 percent germination in 3 weeks. They were all planted in little pots with a mix of peet and vermiculite. They are in above a heated aquarium during the night and in an aquarium outside in the sun during the day. This aquarium is filled with moist sphagnum to increase the humidity of the air. Temperatures range from 20 - 28´C . Most seeds are showing some little green. Fingers crosssed....
_________________ I´m looking after cold hardy plants,specially palms.
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Sun Jul 23, 2017 1:31 am |
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Alberto
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:40 am Posts: 686 Location: Carambeí - State Paraná, 2nd tableland of southern Brazil
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
_________________ I´m looking after cold hardy plants,specially palms.
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Sun Jul 23, 2017 5:16 pm |
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Kev Spence
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:59 pm Posts: 10902 Location: Loughborough, Leics, central UK
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Wow you have certainly done your homework on this rare plant Alberto fingers crossed they all come through to adult sized bulbs
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Sun Jul 23, 2017 8:18 pm |
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Alberto
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:40 am Posts: 686 Location: Carambeí - State Paraná, 2nd tableland of southern Brazil
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Update
_________________ I´m looking after cold hardy plants,specially palms.
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Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:05 pm |
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Alexander
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:55 pm Posts: 3344 Location: Leidschendam, The Netherlands. (52 N latitude)
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Re: Germinating Worsleya seeds
Worsleya grows with Alacantarea on those wet granit slopes. But on almost bare rock. A habitat picture.
Alexander
_________________ Living to close to the arctic circle!
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Mon Aug 21, 2017 1:52 pm |
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