Propagation
The seeds are slow to germinate and may take up to 6 months. Remove outer shell before sowing in a well-drained media. Seedlings are slow growing.


Botanic information
Leaf: The palmate fronds are arching or recurving with spines on the petiole. The leaflets (segments) are numerous and tapering in an upward direction forming a 'V' shape.

Flower: The creamy-yellow cyathiform flowers appear from the lower fronds in a nodding pinkish panicle that appears during midsummer. The persistent large purplish woody bracts are up to 1m (3ft) long and are covered in a pale brown woolly fleece.

Fruit: The yellow to orange- red drupe is oblong-ovoid, pulpy and fibrous with persistent petals and sepals attached to the base.

Palm Seed
Palm seed should be sown as soon as possible after collection as the viability period is short and ripe mature fruit is essential. Do not allow the seed to dry out and when placed in a container of water any seed that floats should be discarded. After selecting seeds dust with a fungicide, as they are prone to fungal attack.

A soil mix composed of half peat moss and half perlite is a reliable media and after sowing placed the containers on a bench with bottom heat with a temperature of 28şC (80şF) and don`t allow it dry out. It may take up to 1 or 2 years for germination of some species to occur but this may be accelerated by scarification or soaking the seeds in gibberellic at 1000ppm for two days.