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Seeds?

Rocky351
9 years ago

Hi, this is my first post on this site, so hopefully I'm doing it right!

One of my Sansevieria plants bloomed last year, and though I tried to have it pollinate itself, it failed. So this year, when both it and another Sansevieria bloomed at the same time (Well, close enough to work. The last blooms of one were on the same night as the first blooms of the other.) I decided to try crossing them. It's been a week and I have 6 little berries (or at least they look like berries) on one plant.

I was wondering if anyone has had luck germinating the seeds. I read a few posts like this yesterday, so I have an idea of what to do, but no one said if they had any germinate.

From what I read, I know the "berries" will change color, and when they're orange/red I should extract the seeds. Some say to scratch them with a nail file, others say to soak them overnight in hot water... I don't normally have luck with seeds, but I want to try with these. The two plants are different enough that I'm dying to know what the next generation will be like!

So, can anyone help me?

Thanks!

Rocky

Comments (24)

  • Stush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
    9 years ago

    Sounds like you got all good information. I would wait till the berries are almost ready to fall off before cleaning them and drying them. I soak my seeds in very warm water with root tone added in, for one day. Nicking them will help and still soak them. Even two days are ok. Plant on top the soil and keep covered. Some times the root seems to grow sideways instead of down. A little help is ok. Don't transplant until you see two true leaves form. Take pictures and keep us posted. What is the other plant look like?

  • Rocky351
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the reply.

    Just to make sure I understand, I should nick them and soak them in warm water for 24-48 hours?

    I'll keep this updated. Any idea how long they will take to ripen?

    The picture is of the father.

  • Stush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
    9 years ago

    Could take up to 9 months or some times sooner. Both plants look to be futura. One variegated and the other robusta. Both are cultivars and the seeds could produce anything in the trifasciata group, but would mostly be what you have already.
    Nicking them helps them to absorb water and helps to split the seed casing. So a nick and a soak is getting a good start on growing. The seeds will be white about the size of a small pea. You can get up to 3 seeds to a pod. Mostly 2. It will remind you of corn sprouting.
    Stush

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    9 years ago

    Fantastic that you had 2 blooming at the same time! Very cool work with the pollination.

  • Rocky351
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Two of the berries are now a bright orange. I think they look really pretty honestly. Should I pluck them off and pull the seeds out? Or should I wait until they fall off themselves?

    Actually, one just fell off so I guess I'll be doing it tonight.

    Does anyone else have suggestions of how to do it? I really want these to work!

  • woodnative
    9 years ago

    I just removed the seed from the berry, rinsed and planted in cactus media. I only had two seeds........not sure what happened to the other but the one is growing fine..........a little parva.

  • Stush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
    9 years ago

    Woodnative,
    My guess is you got a regular green parva. The seed pod must be variegated to get a variegated plant. So I have been told. My Clivia seeds came from variegated pods but only got one out of 10 variegated. But I am happy to get at least one. Come december I'll try again and give the green Clivia away. They should be the orange flower type. I have two yellow ones that will not flower.
    Stush

  • Rocky351
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I only have normal potting soil at the moment. Will that work okay? If so, should the seeds be buried or just lightly pressed into the soil? And how moist should it me?

    I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but I really want these to turn out. I already have them soaking!

  • woodnative
    9 years ago

    I think as long as it is in contact with the soil it will be ok......lightly pressed into the surface but not buried too deep. I would make the potting medium slightly moist. You can put the whole thing into a Ziploc bag or similar........something to keep the little bit of moisture in (as long as it is not too moist) which will aid in germination, and gradually introduce to the outside air once it get growing which may take a bit.

  • mfyss
    9 years ago

    It took just one month for a S. cylindrica seed to sprout. As a few other species were in bloom at the same time, I am interested in seeing what develops. Yale

  • mfyss
    8 years ago

    It is almost a year since this story began with planting seeds of S. cylindrica. The plant in the photo is now 2 inches high, but no obvious sign of its cyclindrical parent. As mentioned earlier, several other plants were in flower when the seed formed so unclear about the pollen source. The advantage of growing from a cutting is clear; much quicker development and exact duplication of the cutting (except for S. trifasciata var. laurentii and cultivars). Yale

  • Stush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
    8 years ago

    Remember there is a juvenile stage and an adult stage. The coming rhizomes should grow like common cylindrical, If not, then you may have a hybrid. Would be interesting to see what develops.

    Stush

  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    How cool!

    I've never seen Sans seeds for sale.

    That's one pretty baby!

  • mfyss
    8 years ago

    Planted a few seeds of S. ehrenbergit in Dec. 2014, and this one result, is the most 'vigorous' youngster, about one-half inch tall.


    May take a long time to begin looking like its parent. So far, a very slow grower. Yale

  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    Where do you guys come across these cool species seeds?

  • mfyss
    8 years ago

    Another report on the seeds from S. cylindrica, which bloomed while several other Sans were in bloom. The photo shows all flat leaves, but don't know if that means anything. Probably a hybrid, but will wait, the plant is only 18 months old.

  • mfyss
    7 years ago

    S. cylindrica finally looks like its parents but it took 21 months to


    each this state; I thought it might be a hybrid, but does not look like it. A fairly fast grower.


    S. ehrenbergii has not grown much since the earlier photo and has a long way to go to resemble the parent plant.

  • Katrina
    7 years ago

    Fascinating!

  • NextObsession?
    7 years ago

    Someone is selling masoniana seeds on Etsy.

  • akrrm (Nancy in NJ 7a)
    7 years ago

    Wow, myfss. That is really cool to see the pictures and time frame of your sans and their growth. Great job. :)

  • Russ1023 (central Fla)
    7 years ago

    My experience is plants always look like the parent regardless of two different sans in bloom at the same time. So they apparently 'self' easier than crossing when left on their own.

    I usually clean the fruit off the seed and plant it just under the mix without any other preparation and they usually germinate. But nicking, soaking, etc is probably a better way to go for the best outcome.

    I have seeds available on occasion, if anyone's interested in trying some let me know. I'll keep a list and send as available. It's a fascinating process but most folks want sans now, not in a couple of years or more.

    Russ

  • mfyss
    6 years ago

    I potted two S. ehrenbergii seeds in Dec. 2014, as described earlier in this thread, and one has grown so as to hint at what it may become. It is 8 inches wide from leaf tip to leaf tip. Russ's comments above summarize the situation nicely. Yale

  • Stush2049 Pitts. PA, zone 6
    6 years ago

    Young sans seeds are different than what they will look like when fully matured. Above picture is what most sans look like when grown from seed. New pups will be different than mother plant. I wish Juan Chahinian would have discussed this and shown pictures on this in his book.

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