Ravenala

I am sure this wonderful plant deserves a thread of its own. Back in March Kristen (many thanks) suggested growing this, and I got some seed. I have had about 80% or more germination so far, but I have a problem. Which way up do they grow and how does the seedling get rid of its seed case?



My seedlings look like this. Once they started to germinate in a plastic contained, I removed them and put them into a small pot of compost. In every case I put the tail pointing downwards, as with any other seedling. However all they seem to do is just grow longer tails and essentially none of them have lost their seed case. The case is so hard I can't even crack it with pliers. And if they can't get out of the seed case and grow leaves they will die.

Just one has a tiny pointed spike growing upwards without any sign of leaves and without the seed case. Its in a pot, so I can't look to see if the seed case is on the other end. Its still very small, but seems to look like pictures of very young Ravenala seedlings I have seen on the internet. Is it the white root that should be growing upwards? Have I planted all my germinated seeds upside down? Of the ones planted pointing down - none seems to have tried to turn around and grow upwards. I potted up another batch today and just left them lying horizontal.

Any help out there?

 

Thanks Shiney. The first ones were all set pointing down, and just seem to have done nothing. Luckily I had 40 seeds and they have kept germinating so I set more on their side yesterday.

They become huge trees - so I am either going to get none - or 35 of them.

 

I grew one to about 8ft high about 12 years ago (at work) but I can't remember how I sowed the seed I presume the growing point just split the seed case, sorry Peter, not much help!
It was very slow growing and eventually outgrew the glasshouse.

 

Thanks Strongy - I am sure nature has a way. What amazes me is how tough the seed case is. I just can't break it. I am also amazed at the high germination rate - I think the seed was very fresh.

 

I remember the seed had a bit of blue fuzz on it similar to the orange fuzz on Strelitzia seed.

Singapore was the first time I saw them, large ones, outside Raffles Hotel 30 years ago!

Shiney the one in Devon was probably Strelitzia Nicholi, very similar when young as it can take much lower temperatures than Ravenala which is more tropical.
These were in Nairobi at our hotel last year, very impressive.

 

I haven't been very good about checking on mine (in a zip-lock bag of Sphagnum Moss in the dark in a box with a reptile mat). So when I have bothered to tip them out they have had a root radicle and already a slightly tubular leaf arrangement which, after potting up, has turned green and then got on with it.

So yours sound to be behaving very differently. My best guess is that the root radicle comes first, but I don't know if the leaf emerges from the seed casing, or from a T-junction off the radicle. I'll look more closely if I manage to get any others to germinate. If your lot all go T.U. I've got about 10 now, so you are welcome to some.

None of my Musa sikkimensis have germinated; I'd really like 4 of those if anyone has any spares - that's for insurance in case mine snuff it - they were over-wintered indoors last Winter, but will be outside this coming Winter.

 

Thats a very kind offer Kristen. I was wondering how yours got on.

I suspect I will have loads of seedlings, as Nature is quite capable of handling things when I have a day off. But I can't yet work out how. The seed cases are so tough and none has yet tried to break out. Perhaps I need to keep them more humid to soften the seed case.

Are you saying that yours started to produce leaves whilst still in the (damp) ziplock bag? Perhaps I should leave some in my container for longer, rather than taking them out when I see signs of germination.

 

yes (edit: they are white, so probably best not to leave them too long as it will exhaust the seed I presume; I put mine under the bench in the greenhouse after pricking out, so that they are in heavy shade whilst they green-up)

Well ... I wouldn't normally recommend that but being lazy overly busy this year has meant that is exactly what I have done.

 

I have finally got an answer. When I saw a second green tip emerging from a potted up germinated seed , I knew I had a spare so I remove one of them from the compost. And this is what I found.

I had seen plenty of white radicals emerging from my seeds, but it appears that half way down a stem separates out and grows upwards. Being a stem it turns green when it meets the light, and I presume leaves will develop in time. The seed case is still attached, and that confused me when it was the only part that was visible about the surface of the compost. But then it is a monocot - and I am used to seeing dicot seedlings

 

Having discovered the above, it makes me hope that I will have quite a few seedlings. So if anyone wants a germinated seed - just get in contact.

 

Anyone with an atrium that is!!

 

As a monocot the first leaf / blade appears and then a bit like the rollers on, say, a banana ... more appear up the middle of the initial one.

 

I've read about monoctyledons and dycotylendons in a horticultural science book I have. I've read that chapter several times but still don't get it.

That pic is very novel to me. In my limit experience, when a seed germinate, a single root bursts out in one direction (down), and a single stem burst out in the other (up) and the seed case either stays in the soil, or gets lifted out and is shed after a day a three to make way for the first leaves.

I love the idea that the seed shell is discarded sideways. Very novel. Nature is genius.