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phissionkorps

Looking for NEPENTHES seeds

phissionkorps
17 years ago

I am looking for any Nepenthes seeds. Reply to this topic if you have any.

For some reason is it hard to find Nepenthes seeds, which I do not understand, as a female nep can produce up to 10,000 seeds...

Comments (17)

  • corymbosa
    17 years ago

    Can't be of any help with seeds. The reason why Nepenthes seed is hard to source is that the flowering period is short and sporadic in cultivation (ie there's a bit of luck involved in getting two plants you want to cross to flower simultaneously). More importantly, seed remains viable for only a short time. Seed from most species will not germinate after a few months. If you do manage to source seed take note of how old it is. While they may cost more, you're better off buying plants than seed.

  • phissionkorps
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    I understand about the flowering period, but with the international pollen exchange website, and people being involved in multiple forums (not to mention that pollen can be stored for a few weeks in the refrigerator), it isn't that hard to find a pollen source for a flowering female...

  • corymbosa
    17 years ago

    You also need to take into account why people use pollen banks. Most people who source pollen through these banks do so with the intention of germinating any seed produced. The short seed viability and limited market of Nepenthes means selling the seed is generally not profitable. Take a look at the CP seed banks around the world and you'll notice that the bulk of species on offer have reasonably long lived seeds that are produced with little effort eg Drosera, Dionaea, Sarracenia. You don't really go to the effort of sourcing pollen from someone else so that you can make a few dollars onselling your cut of the seed, especially when you can make more money from the seedlings.

  • phissionkorps
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    If two people split seed, they will get about 5,000 seeds. If they are sowed quickly and given proper temperatures, about 95%, if not more, of these seeds with germinate, which leaves us with 4,750. If half of the seedlings die, which you would pretty much have to TRY to kill that many, you are left with 2,375 seedlings. No one has 2,375 seedlings of the same species. Also, that wouldn't be profitable at all, no matter what, since a supply that large would force the price down considerably, even of rarer species.

  • corymbosa
    17 years ago

    I wouldn't say 10000 seeds is a standard amount of seed for a Nepenthes. You may get that much if all flowers on the raceme of a mature plant were pollenated but waiting for each infloresence to open and storing/sourcing the pollen for that period of time represents a considerable amount a commitment for whoever is doing the pollenating that won't be returned financially. Most people who pollente their plants don't pollenate all the flowers unless there is a ready supply of pollen. When Nepenthes seed has been donated to my society's seed bank it's normally in the order of a few hundred seed, not a few thousand.

    Consider also the market. The turnover of seed from cp seedbanks is slow and reputable seedbanks will keep an eye on seed age and viability. In the few months the seed remains viable you may only get a handful of people asking for seed. At a few dollars maximum a packet it's not worth the effort producing seed for the market. The same goes for Pings, which is why you rarely see Ping seed for sale either. For that reason, people who do produce excess Nepenthes seed usually distribute it amongst friends. If you want to source Nepenthes seed get in good with the growers.

  • flytrap
    17 years ago

    the reason why Nep seeds are tough to get hold of is that they have a very very short life span. Depending on the species, from a couple of weeks to several months.

    Currently I have some fresh N. ampullaria, N. rafflesiana, N. rajah, N. reiwardtiana and N. mirabilis seed. I've earmarked most of these seeds for our Canadian CP forum and encourage all to keep trading seeds to keep the genetic diversity of these plants going in different parts of our world (clonal Tissue culture is fine as it takes away the demand for rarer species, but doesn't contribute much to genetic diversity)

  • phissionkorps
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Can you spare any of those seeds? I don't mind buying them if I have to...

  • jonocross
    17 years ago

    You know, you're awefull arguementitive for someone who wants something. Try listening instead of rationalizing.

    Yes, seeds are out there as you can see by one of the previous posts. Most people don't mess with them though and their storage time is short enough that it discourages people from doing it in the first place. The ones who do do it, can't keep the seeds very long. So, you found one person who has some nep seeds, great... you'll probably find a couple more, just don't count on too many haveing them all at once.

    Sheesh, listen to other people, you'll lower your blood presure.

    (I've got 5 neps currently growing in my collection and I'm starting to wonder how I'm gonna house those in 12-18 months. LOL)

    Ok, I'm off my soap box now.

  • phissionkorps
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    As bad as this is going to sound...

    I've been in this game for quite some time, I know nep seeds don't have a very long shelf life, I know flowering is sporadic, etc, etc. Lets not forget, I'm looking for seeds, not information I already know.

  • jonocross
    17 years ago

    Yeah, it sounded bad but I get what you're saying. If I may ask, is this for a personal satifaction of having grown them from seed or is this a long term path to riches and possibly horror movie style world domination? (or... somewhere in between hehe)

  • phissionkorps
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Actually its for research. I plan on doing experiments involving the effects of GA# and GA4+7 on the rate of germination of older seeds, and teh rate of growth of seedlings

  • Rollingsun
    17 years ago

    You can find Nepenthes seeds from eBay now.
    http://search.ebay.com.hk/nepenthes_W0QQfromZR40

  • Rollingsun
    17 years ago

    also available in US ebBay

  • FlytrpL8E
    17 years ago

    Try Robert Goleman's website.
    He has new nepenthes and X's be listed all the time.
    It's okay to mention my name.
    Lois

    Here is a link that might be useful: hortus botanicus

  • ischan
    17 years ago

    You could try greenculturesg.com Everyone at that forum is Singaporean so expect some run up time with the postage when you mail a SASE to the seed donor but I do see seeds being given away from time to time.

    A fellow forumer just offered seeds of hookeriana x ampullaria / thoreli a few days ago and I put myself on the list to receive some.

    You have to keep checking though. The seed offers usually get snapped up within 24 hours of posting.

  • junior_trap
    17 years ago

    http://roses2plant.stores.yahoo.net/nepenthesseeds.html hortus botanicals...they have seeds...not sure if this is too late though .....if youve found the seeds how are they?

  • FlytrpL8E
    17 years ago

    DAY JAY VOOO.HMMMM didn't I saw check out hortus Botanicuson Oct 30th..
    Lois

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