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Australian Native Plants
luvtogrow_gw

Terminalia ferdinandiana

19 years ago

hi,

does anyone have any tips on germinating kakadu plum seed.

I have tried 48h vinegar soak which was recomended to me, but have had no success.

best regards,

luvtogrow

Featured Answer
  • 8 years ago

    I'm a commercial kakadu plum farm near Kakadu. In germinating a kakadu plum from seed .you really need coffee rock. This soil strata is why they only grow in certain areas of Australia. Coffee rock is really useless soil. Quarter clay content. Some broken down poor composton top soil that the seed sits in ,and high iron rock plus near conglomerate rock. Basically the worst soil you can find. I just push a fallen seed , 1cm below the 3cm of compost. Which is really the kakadu plum leaves that fall in May. You need the semi dry to dry soil place the seed in May , by Christmas it will sprout. So minimal watering from May to November then lots if water make sure the water is tepid. Or warm. This creates the Wet and Dry season. From May the trees look like dead sticks. Then wet season and they bloom massively . The insects devour the new leaves making the tree produce the high vitamin C in the plums to chase them away. The insects are integral to the high vitamin C. I let nature care for my trees .I have 6000 trees now and plant about a thousand seeds every yesr from the dropped fruit. Just push them in with my thumb. 1 cm. They are a clumping tree as they self germinate naturally. Any questions my email is gregpreilly@gmail.com

    Comments (6)

    • 19 years ago

      Not sure the vinegar soak would be worthwhile - usually only relevant for fruits that are bird dispersed. T. ferdinandiana are usually eaten by mammles like bandicoots.
      I have not attenpted to germinate myself but was advised by someone who had that they take a very long time to come up. She said that she left the flesh on the seeds and buried them half way in soil and covered with light leaf litter...and waited....
      Im really not sure what sort of success you would have with them down there even if they did germinate - I take it you must live on the north coast NSW? Could be a bit too cool for Top Enders......

    • 19 years ago

      And by the way - up here we call them billy goat plums.
      Kakadu plum is a contrived marketing name...
      And maybe I am a bit too pedantic....

    • 19 years ago

      BG Plum.... It is suggested to scarify with 40 grit sandpaper and be very patient. I have some in a humidicrib now for 3 months and counting. occassionally check them to ensure that they are not being attacked by fungus etc I pullem out and soak in a weak bleach solution and put back. I have been informed that thewy take quite awhile before germination A

    • 7 years ago

      You should make a video or picture step by step on how to plant the seed. Thanks

    • 3 years ago

      so like the gumbi gumbi seed do you soak in warm water a few days an then rub in sand prior to planting so they come up quicker

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