As these continue to germinate, a series cracks will develop on the seed end. The radicle will eventually push through at this point.

That's where I thought ALL radicles came out!
Nice pic Steve.

Your new camera's a hit!

Did you read that in habitat it receives 80 inches of rain a year!
Also lots of leeches, ticks and mosquitos!
It'll be glad to be at your place
Barb

Barb, Thanks for the comments! Seems the majority germinate in this fashion, ( except for Cycas, which does the "clam shell" thing 😀

Steve

new resolution for 2008, I am not going to germinate or purchase anything I can not pronounce. Starting with Lepidozamia Peroffskyana.

Serioulsy, nice work Steve. You keep us all honest with your passion for germinating, growing and teaching us all about plants from around the world. Thanks.

Please keep up the good work.

Thanks Kent! I can't pronounce it either 😉

Maybe I have too much time on my hands, but it is still fun, and the learning is always ongoing.

Steve

Ideally the top of the seed, ( where it sprouts ), is out of the germination mix and dry.

And enough moisture left in the mix to discolor the bottom. This seems to work well for the larger Cycad seeds.

Starting to notice some changes with these,
( Hopefully this is what is supposed to happen 😆

Steve

This'll be a nice one to watch as it develops.

How do you know with all the cycads you've germinated whether that particular variety should lay horizontally on the medium, or like this one, one end buried...? 😯
Barb

Barb,
I am following Mr.Broome's example by keeping the sprouting end out of the medium, except for the Zamias, mine are germinated in containers and then potted up when the cotylendon is about 1/2" long.

Here is a link to the article: http://www.plantapalm.com/vce/horticulture/seeds.htm

Steve

Thanks for that link.

Tom Broome sure has published some very informative stuff.
Great that he's eliminating the guesswork on these valuable cycads for novices like me.
Especially good to read this one before my C.debaoensis seeds arrive... 🙂

Good luck with yours Steve (as though you need LUCK!!) 😉
Barb

And a little further along now.............. 😀

Steve

Nice.
So (once again...sorry), the fine-pointed part is down.
The end showing in the pic is the "scarred" end, where it was attached?
Think it's called the chalazal end?

I'll get this eventually 😕
Barb

Hi Barb,

I'm not sure of the exact terminology, here are some photos to show the differences.

With Cycas seeds, this is the end that was attached to the cone. The scar is from where it detached. (usually the pointed end)

The other end will open in a clam shell fashion to allow the radicle to emerge, (as germination progresses, you will first notice the seams become evident, then eventually, the seed will split and open)

Here are some on their way 8)

Other Cycad seeds have a spot in the shell that will weaken and push out as the radicle emerges.

This is where the radicle will emerge on a Encephalartos hildebrandtii seed.

This is the end that was attached to the cone,

This Lepidozamia peroffskyana is in progress,

And here is the end that was attached to the cone,

Steve

Steve, fab photos! Thanks for taking them.

I don't have my camera today, but the reason I asked is on my C.deboaensis seeds, for example, the
pronounced fine-pointed end I've stuck a bit into the soil/perlite.
The other end with its scars is pointed up a bit.

The scar is from where it detached. (usually the pointed end)

That's where I'm confused. The scar is not the pointy end on my C.deboa...seeds.

Here's an excerpt from Tom Broome's "how to optimize cycad seed germination" (I hope it's OK to print verbatim re copyright)!
There are two ends of a cycad seed. There is the end where the seed will sprout from and the end where the seed was attached to the cone (called the chalazal end). This end will usually have some sort of scar on it. The pattern of scars will vary depending on the genus and even the species in some cases. The sprouting end will usually have either a single spot on the end, a raised area, or as with Encephalartos seeds, a series of cracks that act as a hatch when the seed sprouts. I have found that placing the chalazal end down into the medium keeps the seed moist enough to make sure they don't go bad. This also means that the sprouting end is out of the medium and makes it very hard for fungus to enter the seed like it would if it was placed in the medium. . .

So...my pointy end...where the seed will sprout from, is not the end where the seed was attached because those scars are on the other end. And I've put the pointy end INTO THE MEDIUM, the opposite of what Tom seems to be advising. 😕

I hope I'll find out when mine start to pop.
Note I said WHEN, not IF. 😀

If the "clamshell" splits are at the scar end, I've done it right.

Thanks again for the super pics.
Barb