I have loads of 'berries' on my plants this year that seed themselves around. However i'd like to be able to save some for other people. Please can someone tell me the best way of extracting the seed from the flesh in order to end up with clean seed suitable for posting?
i posted this question in Seed Saving, but not many people seem to have been looking in there, so i'm putting it here in hope that someone can help............please?
Neat looking berries, what kind of flowers do they have? Small? Smelly?
The spadix is usually pale and about a third the length of the spathe, which is c6"-8"
The leaves are very markedly mottled and variegated, they're the showy part that the plant is grown for.
I thought i took a pic earlier in the year - will have to have a hunt :)
philomel, here's a site that explains the how-to's:
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/222/4501
Good luck! I planted some Arum last year, and I need to go see if they're starting to pop back up now that the weather is getting cooler. (I didn't get any flowers this year, but I figure that's to be expected with first-year plants.
A lot of the berry type of seeds do better if they're collected fresh and planted right away - whith the fruit flesh and all. Some seeds need the decaying fruit to break the dormancy. You might just collect them and store them in the fridge. If you send them out in little film canisters they'd probably make it without getting crushed. The reciever should plant them right away and leave them out in the winter cold. Hopefully they'll germinate in the spring ... just as if they fell off the plant and re-seeded themselves.
Someone that knows more about the arums might be able to give better specifics about this species. If I were winging it .... I'd try to mimic Mother Nature as best as I could.
Thanks so much both of you. My instinct was to sow them complete with pulp as that's how nature does it, but sneding in the post is then trickier. Your suggestion of a film canister is great poppysue - got plenty of those! And the link is very helpful thanks vols, they make the point too that the seeds mustn't be allowed to dry out.
I grow the Arum Italicum and when the seed stalk's start to fall over I harvest stem and all .I put them in an openair box for about 2 week's .I then squeeze the seeds out and wash out the pulp in a straner dry them on a paper towel for a few days and they are ready to go.
Hope this helps
Roger Poor
poorboy@alltel.net
Thanks govols, that is exactly the info needed for the dracuncula vulgaris I have been looking for. Looks like I harvested them correctly and planted immediately. They aren't kidding about getting the pulp all over your hands either, what a mess that is.
An unknown neighbor must grow these; one sprouted in my front garden last fall. (Maybe a squirrel gift? LOL) Very beautiful foliage, but I guess it might be a few years before it flowers. Mine re-sprouted a couple of days ago; I found it when I was re-planting my hardy cyclamen. Stupid squirrels.
LOL lupine. The arums seed around freely here. I shouldn't think it'll be too long before you have a thriving group :)
