From: Adam Black epiphyte1 at earthlink.net> on 2006.05.13 at 18:28:24(14181)
Thanks for your reply, Julius. I am familiar with your method for
growing aquatic aroids in pots that you have described before (and use
it on my Cyrtospermas), but always assumed that was more geared for
those species that prefer swampy but not regularly submerged ground as
opposed to those sp. that seem to be predominantly emergent aquatics. I
realize that both types of habitat preference experience both dry and
wet extremes, but it seems like Orontium prefers to be grown as an
emergent (at least I have never seen it growing in unsubmerged places
during times of "normal" water levels). I had not considered your method
as I figured it might be too exposed and thought more water might be
required and more natural for germination of seedlings. It sounded like
you are recommending growing this plant to maturity using your potted
method once the seedlings are established (as opposed to germination),
but these are intended to be planted out as large display colony in the
water gardens at the botanical gardens where I work around the single
plant we currently have, rooted in the bottom sediments. I am also
starting a hardy aroid garden featuring terrestrial as well as aquatic
aroids, where I intend to include some Orontium as well.
In my original message I had not specified the components of my "soil" I
was using. I was using a 50/50 mix of peat and coarse sand, the same mix
we use for propagating water lilies. The cattle trough (also used for
water lily propagation) has been set up for years and is biologically
active (including fish, amphibians and various invertebrates) and
includes a pump to gently circulate water around.
Thanks again for all your help!
Adam
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Julius Boos wrote:
Reply-To : Discussion of aroids
Sent : Saturday, May 13, 2006 1:23 AM
To : Discussion of aroids
Subject : [Aroid-l] Orontium seed germination
Dear Adam,
I cultivated Orontium from a collected adult plant a few years ago,
and had it bloom and produce seeds which I grew in cultivation to
adulthood. Dr. Croat photographed my plants of Orontium in bloom
during a visit to my home back when. All that you report re: the
structure of the seeds, etc (below) is correct.
I refer you to an article I wrote and which was published in Aroideana
Vol. 16 in 1993, ''Experiencing Urospathas", in which I suggest ways
to sucessfully grow aquatics for long periods without the 'soil'
rotting and killing the plant by being immersed under water. In case
you do not have access to this article, basically the method consists
of using a half-and-half mix of heavy/coarse sand with a little leaf
mulch or other compost/soil mixed in. However---this is placed above
a 3" layer of larva stones, crock, etc. placed in the bottom of the
pot. The soil-mix is placed on top of the stones, and the seed or
plant potted in this 'soil'. The pot is then placed in a large
saucer or other container which contains no more than 2" of water, and
so the 'soil' mix is kept ABOVE and out of the actual water while
being kept constantly wet. Water these pots/plants from above till
you observe roots growing out of the pot`s drain holes into the saucer
of water, this is super-important as at first the soil-mix is never
wet enough from just absorbsing water from below for some aquatics
until this happens. Change out the water in the saucer
regularly/weekly. Fert. w/ a VERY weak liquid fert. on a regular basis.
In a few weeks, when you check your pot of 'soil' that you have
submerged in your cattle trough, below the 'soil' surface will stink
like a rotting body, and no plant can grow in this. The late and
GREAT Dr. Monroe Birdsey did grow some aquatics (Typhonodorum,
Urospatha, Lasia) in pots that were completely submerged in his
concrete fish tanks, but his pots were of pure sand, and their fert.
consisted of the fishes waste products. He confided that on occasion
he placed a fert. tablet or two buried deep in the sand in these pots,
he knew which brand of tablet to use which did not poison the water
and so kill his fish!
For germinating/growing the larger seeds of Orontium, don`t peel the
seeds, and I`d use the same method/pot that you have, but change out
the soil for mainly coarse sand, and place the surface of the sand in
the pot a tad above the surface of the water till they root. I
believe in nature the seeds drop into water and float for a while till
they wash up on the sides of the body of water, where they take
root. Those that sink before they 'hit the beach', as it were, may
not make it! By the way, the above method works well with
Montrichardia, Typhonium and Typhonodorum, all have simular seeds and
germination stratagies
Good Luck, I hope this helps.
Julius
Does anyone have any tips for growing Orontium aquaticum from seed?
I know the seeds germinate within the fruits, float for a while
after becoming detatched from the infructescense, and then sink, but
that is about all I know. A few of the fruits that I opened up had
already started to germinate, so I assume they are ready? Do I need
to peel the tough covering off the seeds, or does this protective
covering need to stay intact and the seedling will penetrate through
it? These are very different from Anthurium and other Aroid seeds I
am used to with a soft fruit that the seeds are simply squeezed out of.
Right now I have a pot filled 3/4 full of soil, submerged in a cattle
trough so that there is a couple of inches (which equals something
like several centimeters - but this in an American aroid!) of water
over the soil line, but the rim of the pot is above the water line to
contain the floating unpeeled fruits. Does this sound like I am on the
right track? Would it be better if the seeds were in wet but not
submerged conditions? Any other suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
Adam<<
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