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Australian Native Plants

black bean (Castanospermum australe)seeds

21 years ago

I have just opened a pod and found the hugest black bean seed - 80 grams on my low register kitchen scales. Is this unusual? (Picture an 80 gram egg)

Tony

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Comments (5)

Grant_fnq
21 years ago
Hello Tony,
I found a fairly ordinary seed pod at Bramston Beach a few weeks ago and, promped by your post opened it to check the weight of the seeds. I measured one at 60 grams. It was the seed from the growing end of the pod, quite bulky looking and not the more normal circular shape. I know my kitchen scales are a bit dodgy but, nevertheless I can imagine that an 80 gram seed is not out of the question.

While on the subject, I potted several seeds some months ago. Being not too sure of the correct procedure I placed the seeds in several different orientations and one I even left with just a tiny part of the seed exposed to the air. All seeds struck quickly, except for the one that had a small part exposed. Nothing happened for a further two months by which time the others were now about 30cm tall. Finally, I decided to sprinkle a tiny bit of soil over the exposed part of the seed and it then struck within days. Ain't nature wonderful.
Rose_Qld
21 years ago
I walked past a heap of seeds on a Mackay street the other day and wondered if I *needed* to propagate a few for house plants. (Love watching that shoot unfold leaves.) Now I'm going to have to check for extra large ones.
Cheers
Rose
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Three in a pot make a great little "forest" for a while as an indoor or patio plant. That sounds a large seed though!
Germinate well just at surface level though as Grant indicates they may need more moisture from covering up. A beautiful plant "mine" is not even "mine" but a wonderful survivor on our back embankment.
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I've seen them for sale in markets in bonsai style pots - loads of trees like a little forest ... bit gimmicky but still look interesting. Singles look great too - v. popular with the kids!
sterculias
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That seed weight would be about right. My trees are mulched with stable manure and sawdust and the seeds self germinate, I'm forever pulling them out.

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