Jatropha multifida

I got 10 seeds the beginning of December and planted three ... hurray this morning ...

I already have Jatropha intergrrima and J podagrica so am excited about this.

 

Nine days later and through some of the coldest weather we have gone through 'January is still alive on The Courtyard ... Jatropha intergrrima is named 'Spicy...

and J podagrica is 'Monday ...

 

Three weeks on ... and I wonder if that is something trying to escape the top of the stem ...

 

Have you tried inverting a small jam jar over it, it usually happens when the seed isn't planted deep enough and the seed case gets dragged up out the soil where it dries out and traps the leaves.
Spray some water into the jar and then put it over the shoot and spray the seed casing a couple of times a day.
It doesn't always work, but worth a try.

 

@pete. Yes, I think I have seen that before, maybe with the J Podagrica as I had five germinate there. This has been under a 'water bottle greenhouse' the entire time ... you know where you cut the bottle in half and leave the top off. The seed was planted to the second nuckle. Will keep it moist though. Oh, when it germinated, I looked on the Net for seedlings as I thought it looked odd and found this picture ...

 

Presumably epigeal germination.

Blackstart

 

Interesting. Thank you. Will this survive?

 

Well I still think there is a pair of cotyledons wrapped up inside that seed that need to come out, and if the seed case dries out too much they wont get out.
It might still manage to get the main shoot out as its showing in the fork of the stem below the seed case.

 

Yes, sometimes you can help by gently removing the old seed case if the plant does not shed it itself, depending on the risk you are prepared tp take. As mentioned by others, I would try to keep the old seed case damp, perhaps with a fine spray to keep it supple.

Blackstart

 

T'other Half just surprised me by saying he had taken the outer skin off the seed He NEVER touches plants!!! Let's hope it takes off now. Having kept it wet these past two days, he said it came off easily. I still have seven seeds left.

 

If it was me I'd take a knife to it, the brown case is only the skin, there is a hard bit of stuff showing yellow that I think might have a pair of leaves trapped inside.

If you have more seed not all is lost and it could still sort itself out.

I'm trying to remember how they germinate and I think its very similar to castor oil plant seed.
Two quite large cotyledons open out eventually.

 

Goodness, I was surprised again! Having mentioned what you said Pete ...


Hopefully we will soon have leaves emerging.

 

I think the leaves are inside that yellow lump, its probably too dry now, but I still think that should remain under ground and the rising stem should pull the leaves out of it once all the energy has been used up inside it.

 

The seed (the yellow lump) is 1.5cm by 2.5cm on the stem which is 7.5cm tall. Am I supposed to push the seed onto the soil (which could/would break the stem) or leave it alone now? Will keep watering the nut and stem. This has got very challenging.

 

Takeoff from the stem ...