Hi John, I think you may have gotten these seed from me (or they are on their way atleast) so this is likely highly redundant. If you got them from someone else then maybe this is new! I found them to be pretty easy in pure pumice with a baggie over them on a heat mat to maintain temp and humidity. You should still be able to see part of the seed. I mean, do not cover it entirely!! Most of the people I have talked to after sending them seed this summer see radicles within a couple of weeks, although the first leaf takes quite a bit longer!!

Also, Worsleya are supposedly prone to damp-off and the really good growers on the forum mentioned below suggest an anti-fungal with most waterings for the first 6 months!! I personally have used daconil, but others recommend a strong chamomille tea (again, read the forum mentioned below).

I would STRONGLY encourage you to visit the Yahoo Worsleya forum for a ton of good advice and reading!! This is also the place where virtually all Worsleya seed available in the world are distributed through as you can see from many recent posts from several individuals. If you need the web site I can provide it!

In closing, let me say that if you use anything resembling dirt to germinate your seed they are going to be dead very, very soon. These are not Hippeastrum or Amaryllis despite their common name, and if you try to germinate them like they are you have no chance at all!!

Best of luck :o) Dan

Hello Dan,

I ordered the seed yesterday, so I guess its from you. Thanks for the information. I checked my emails to see I've been excepted in the Worsleya yahoo group. I can't wait to read the different posts.

John

Hi John, I tossed in an extra as always to try and help the germination cause!! Some of the former posts on the other forum are really informative so you will have a lot to read through :o) Dan

Hi All,
I have grown heaps of Worsleya from seed and will soon be selling seedlings as I realize that having 25 seedlings (each approx 10inch tall 2 year old) is a little more than I need?
Though to enter a comment on growing them, they are quite easy if you have a warm climate and lots of sunlight? looking at your locations realize that you are in winter and possibly will only have low light? if this is the case then would using heat (minimum of 60 oF) with as much direct sunlight through a window as you can get.
I used to be on the yahoo forum and found most of the growing of worsleya was done indoors with too low a temperature and/or lack of sufficient light hence the fungus problems.
I used to be a commercial nursery man, from my experience light and heat are the most important factors, some seed crosses lack vigor though most seed if healthy will germinate quite easily with sufficient heat and light.
allan
[IMG]http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr4/ant_52/worsleya-seedlings.jpg[/IMG]

Hi Allan, Wish I could have a climate like that!! I grow mine on heat mats under 400W MH bulbs and for the past 2 winters they have done pretty well and this year some of them are growing right out of their bulb tunics so they are putting on some nice size and these were already near blooming size so maybe I am starting to get things figured out....I'll keep my fingers crossed :o) Dan

I don't grow Worsleya seed, but do grow others through the winter months... I use a heat mat and grow under lights, too. I've got some Daylily and Hippeastrum seedlings that were started this way. I will also say that decent air circulation helps avoid some fungal problems.

Sorry Dan & Jodik,
was going to reply and show this image, as well as saying hope your power bill was manageable??? though my puter crashed and decided to go to bed as it was 11pm.
My winter went down to -3 oC (66 oF) winter before last, usually 0 oC, hence these seedlings would have been larger. Have a climate like north, coastal Florida US and hence they are easy to grow though from what you say, can tell you have the growing well in hand.
Here is the image of seedling I tried to post earlier, (only gave an image link instead).
They are larger now;

{{gwi:425173}}
allan

Goofed on the minimum temp my plants got down to two winters ago in oF it was 26.6 oF not 66 oF.
As you may have noticed there are bromeliads in the back ground that is what I prefer to grow from seed.
allan

I'd like to try Worsleya but they are sooooo expensive!

Dan or Allan...Would you know of any source of seeds of Worsleya?

Hey Allan, Awesome looking plants!! I would like to get a pup machine aka, Cosh clone some day......from what I hear those guys produce pups at an astonishing rate and I'd love to have a huge pot full of them to admire!!!

Maria, I used to sell a ton of Worsleya seed, but not sure I will be doing it anymore......just depends on my supplier. These usually get advertised on the Yahoo Worsleya forum when they are available so that is the place to watch :o) Dan

Nice photo, Allen! I only wish I had your climate to grow in! I'm up north where the winters are harsh, and most of my growing is indoors. The few lights I do have are not that expensive to run, and I only run a small heating pad for seedlings or other items I'm trying to root. Sometimes, I use it for giving bottom heat to a Hippeastrum bulb that refuses to wake up.

The Worsleya photos I've seen are lovely, but I don't feel I'm far enough along in my rare bulb education and experience to try any just yet. Plus, I just don't have the space! Remember, I'm growing my entire collection of plants and bulbs in a small second floor, one room apartment! I'm not even sure how I managed to get all this in here! I can't even imagine packing it all up to move!

I do like the fact that it's a blue flower, though...

Those plants in the photo look a little like my Clivia plants!

Hi all, sorry for lack of activity, only just got back on line after a violent electrical storm, had no power for several days, also will not be on the forum for some time as am busy now & don't talk on forums much.
Maria did a Google on worsleya seed and got several sellers? One of the local suppliers will sell seed on the worsleya forum later this season am sure.
Dan have extra cosh clones (yes does multiply well) though US is a little sticky on import plants.
I am the Gold Coast Bromeliad Society (Aust) web editor so if you want to talk to me then contact the society web site and email me from there make sure subject line says "Bromeliad & worsleya" or may be deleted as spam ????
allan

Dan...I just joined the Yahoo Worsleya Group tonight. I'll be reading... :-)

Maria, You will find that the guys in OZ are awesome growers and there is a guy in FLA who grows them at his farm in Mexico that posts really informative thoughts :o) dan

Ahhhhh...dear Mr.BP of FL/Mexico. Yes he is very nice too besides being rich...LOL!!! I received some plants from him last summer and all he asked in exchange is a Papilio. :-)

Browsing around gardening websites in Australia makes me so want to go there. It must be very beautiful there...almost like paradise. I don't blame their government for being so strict with plant materials coming in. Taking about good growers...They have produced very nice Hippeastrum hybrids there too. Some are even prettier than SA and Dutch hybrids.