Lilith

This is supposedly a rather rare occurence for this rare tropical vine outside of its native habitat (the Phillipines). Every once in a while I am told a vine in Miami will set seed, but for my vine, it may have been a once in a lifetime event because mine is grown completely enclosed inside a greenhouse.

We still haven't figured out what pollinated it, it had to have been either a butterfly, a wasp or a bee that got trapped inside the greenhouse while the door was open and the plant was in flower in February/March, or perhaps ants.

Research I looked at on the web said that the Kew Gardens had a plant for something like 20+ years that only set seed after they hand pollinated it. I didn't hand pollinate mine, LOL, I wouldn't even know how.

Anyway, here is a photo of the really cool seeds and the seed pod they came out of. There are seven, and they are all up for trade. You can email me if you have an offer. Since they are extremely rare, it'll have to be a pretty good offer. No postage, no international mail.

I emailed the guys at the Fairchild Gardens in Miami to ask them about the seeds when the pod first developed. They said that they germinate easily and told me how to best plant them.

STEELVIPER

That is a Big A$$ seed pod!!!! LOL!!! wow!

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mskitty38583

that is awesome!

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CookieCows

That is so cool! Congrats!! It prompted me to read up on the plant. Really cool looking flowers. The pics you took of the seeds/pods are really something.

Hoping you get a really great trade for them!

Deb

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xavierdlc61887

i think you should plant them and sell them on ebay get more money ....justa thought since u say they are easy to germinate

Lilith

Fernie,
I was an eBay plant seller for several years and its not worth the hassle. Especially for someone as busy as I already am. But thanks for the thought. Like Slayer says, "Nothing wrong with a little greed," eh? (That's from "Seven Faces")

I have been growing my vine for several years (actually I have 3) and never expected this to happen. I even found the seed pod by accident, it was laying on the ground, the size of a mango, when I was cleaning up some stuff in the greenhouse. I looked at it and thought, well damn, how did THAT happen? Then I remembered having the doors open while the plant was in bloom and a few early spring bees and a butterfly flying in while I was working. There was a wasp flitting around in there one day too. That has to be what pollinated it. The only other things that live in there are green tree frogs and a few snakes. I could possibly see the tree frogs pollinating it if they were tiny just born frogs that somehow got down in a flower, got out and then got down in another flower, but not the snakes. I think the insect pollinator is way more likely.

As an experiment in the future, whenever the vine is in bloom I will leave the doors open and see what happens!

island cassie

Congratulations Lilith - what an achievement!!

Cassie

damaclese

Lilith i was reading that the seed of the Jade vine are only viabal for 7 days after the ripin so you beter trade them fast

ladybug825

Wow, Congrats! That's a pretty awesome seed pod.

Debbie

MediaHound

Congrats! My jade vine is from seed from the plant in Miami. The owner, Jordon, happens to be a friend and is a member here on Bananas.org, JNStropic. You should contact him for advice on it, he was entirely successful with germinating them. He is also one of the first people to have Ae Ae down here in Miami over 40 years ago.
Regarding your comment that its "every once in a while" I dont think is entirely true. I think it happened just once, last year, in all his time with the vine. And he has had it a loooong time. Cheers though and congrats!
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Mark Hall

Huge seeds Lilith.There is a jade vine at the Living Rainforest in Berkshire.
Here it is this year in flower.

Ah....can't post pictures on here so it is in my gallery

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proletariatcsp

Are they really only viable for a week? And only able to be grown in a greenhouse?

I would love to have a Jade, only I don't have a greenhouse. Can you grow it from clippings?

Lilith

Actually they are viable for longer than that, LOL.
I have made a trade for all of the seeds, so they are gone. But yes, you can grow it from a cutting, if you are lucky enough to get one to root. That's the way they are usually propagated, not by seed.

xavierdlc61887

i think the easiest way to root them is to use a aeroponic system and have a continous spraying of the lower cuttings that will encourage rooting i also think that u can root hard to root brugs that way u will have a true replica of the plant u desire um ok well hope this helps in whoever wants to root hard to root plants

Lilith

The seeds have all been traded