Self propagation.

Back in October when I was moving a large clivia plant back into the greenhouse I noticed one of the berries from the previous year was now ripe.
When I looked at it properly I noticed that it was already growing roots while still attached to the plant.
I potted it up and its now grown its first small leaf. The strange thing is I have tried once or twice to germinate seed from this plant and had no sucsess.

 

That's just proof that plants know what to do, Pete! We just get in the way, sometimes!
I saw lots of self-seeded tree peonies and the seeds in the process of growing under a batch of mature trees last year - which convinced me that the best way with these hardy things that need stratification is to let nature do its own thing - so I put them in the soil, and have left well alone. Looks like your clivia will be a nice little plant soon, Pete! :D

 

Pete, perhaps the plant decided to give you a pleasant suprise!. I bet it put a smile on your face.

 

When I read the title of this post I thought it was about what i did last about 21 years ago...and have been paying for ever since. :D
I have the same problem with Clematis rehderiana. a lovely plant but i can never seen to get viable seed off the masses of fluffy seed heads it produces. It flowers late and they never seem quite ripe enough before winter sets in.
Then I find a seedling in the stone wall which I behead trying to prise it out. But I did get one out from between the slabs in the patio.

 

Amazing it got past the censors, Geoff!

It must have been frustrating not to be able to get those seedlings intact - but at last..... Well done!

 

geoff, you should have stopped paying three years ago.
:D

 

They get more expensive the older they get. The youngest is in year 3 at university but is doing architecture, so thats a few more years. Just hope he can build me a nice posh house for my dotage.
The eldest is just moving out this week. Hope he stays out this time. Last time he got homesick, at least this time he is going to live with old school friends.

 

Ours has just come home for xmas, for four weeks, so I won't be on here so often. He has now informed us he is going to S America for nine months in his third year, not Spain as originally planned, that's too far for a visit.
I think we have strayed from Pete's topic but I guess the title prompted it. :D

 

Phew ... just glad I don't have kids!

Pete, I didn't know that Clivias had berries ... must Yahoo a bit (I don't Google much) because I thought Clivias had babies ... side shoots? :confused:

Interesting to say the least!

 

Side shoots are easiest LOL.
But seed is just an experiment, hoping for a bit of variation, not likely though. :D

 

Keep us posted on your success then!