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Sealing Wax Palm Seedlings (When to Transplant)?

tommyc
11 years ago

In Michigan I started some Sealing Wax Palms in February. I scrapped and removed the fiber around the date like seeds. Then I placed them in a baggie with wetted spanish moss and sealed them up. I also have them on a 83 degree heating mat & grow lights. Now its July 24th and the seedlings are now about 2 inches tall growing out of the spanish moss. Is there any special way to replant them so that I get them outside for the rest of the summer and then bring them in when fall arrives? I want to send them back to my home in Hawaii in a couple years. I'll try to post a pic on my flickr account to show you what they look like. Keep an eye out for them in a couple days.

Here is a link that might be useful: Click on the slideshow to see my plants.

Comments (10)

  • catkim
    11 years ago

    Unless you have met the rigorous requirements for import permits into Hawaii, it is illegal to import plant material into Hawaii. For good reason.

    Besides which, you can easily obtain C. renda in 1-gal. pots for around $5 - 10 on island.

    As for potting up your seedlings, you could very carefully move them to a community pot with fast-draining soil to be set outdoors in a shady area. Do not allow the soil to dry out, or the seedlings will die. Be sure the temperature is maintained above 50F. It's a tricky stage because while they must be kept moist, they will also be subject to fungus.

  • tropicbreezent
    11 years ago

    I'd agree that if you're going to run into import difficulties it's better to buy locally. Whilst they're not the cheapest palm, they're certainly not the most expensive. I bought a few clumps here about a year ago for $20 each. The plants were about a metre tall with many stems. That represents many years of growth. Seedlings can take an eternity to get to any decent size. Although, I know there's a satisfaction in growing your own palms from seed.

  • garyfla_gw
    11 years ago

    Hi
    May I ask where you got the seeds.?? Apparently they have a very short shelf life as I got zero gemination with several batches lol I figured the "slow" a terrific advantage when you have a small lot. They are gorgeous as soon a they develop the color
    Tropicbreezent would suspect almost anything would grow in your location. What types of palms are you growing?? Was impressed with the few pix I've seen!!! gary

  • tropicbreezent
    11 years ago

    Gary, I've managed to get quite a few species over time, but managed to lose some as well. At the moment I have 53 different species, plus 3 or 4 NOIDs.

  • garyfla_gw
    11 years ago

    WOE!!
    You must have a LOT of room lol i suspect there are around 200 species that I could grow easily but not on a 75x35 foot lot. So I went for the delicate ,finicky types .
    I'm no longer going to heat my GH so suspect those that I have left will move into the dead catagory??lol
    What types do you find difficult??
    gary

  • tommyc
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I got them through mail order. Follow the link. The only success was baggie method, Long Fiber Spaghnum moss (bought at Home Depot), 82 degree heating mat. I didn't open the bag for 4 months. No problem with mold to this day. I cleaned the pulp off each seed. The seeds arrived in 5 days, bought in February.

    If anyone knows what time of year seeds are good, please let us know.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sealing Wax Palm seeds

  • catkim
    11 years ago

    I hate to be the one to deliver the news, but the link takes you to an Areca vestiaria. Note the blunt leaf tips. And it's orange, not scarlet. I know this for certain; I am growing 39 of these palms (Areca vestiaria) as well as 13 Cyrtostachys renda, and they are quite distinct. Of course I have no way of knowing what seeds were sent to you, and it will be quite some time before you can tell what you have. :-(

  • tropicbreezent
    11 years ago

    I'd agree, the photo in that link is Areca vestiaria. They may have used the wrong photo and you may still have the right seeds. Time will tell.

    Gary, it does help to have a lot of room.

  • garyfla_gw
    11 years ago

    Hi
    I asked Fairchild gdns, about ID."s of seeds .
    " While very difficult to tell as seedlings,A vestiaria
    has rather large deep red round seeds geninating in about one month.
    C. renda has small very dark seeds though there is variation as there are 8 species within the genus. but much different than A vestiaria. require around 3 months to germinate " that should help with your ID ??
    Both are gorgeous anyway?? They did remark that vestiaria was MUCH easier to grow at least in s. florida. good luck gary

  • lzrddr
    11 years ago

    That link on the photo is indeed an Areca vestiaria... maybe they didn't have a photo of a Cyrtostachys? But my guess is the seeds are Areca seeds... and agree... much easier palm to keep alive (still, very hard to import into Hawaii... good thing is Areca vestiarias are super cheap in Hawaii!!).

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