30 thoughts on “Growing Yellowwoods from seed”

  1. Hi Jenny.

    This is suitable vague but there is a lady in Durban (who attends the Imagine Durban forums, which is where I met her) who grows loads of yellowwoods from seeds and distributes them to schools, NGOs, whoever wants them.

    Does anyone know her name or how to contact her?

  2. Jenny, I do presume that you have tried the advice given at the bottom of the link you provided…

    “The fresh seed can be sown directly into black nursery bags or into deep seed trays using a mixture of well-rotted compost and washed sand (1:1). The seed must be pushed and bedded into the mixture and covered with a light layer of soil. The mixture must stay moist at all times. Some of the seed may take up to six months to germinate, so be patient. Seedlings can be pricked out at a height of 50-80 mm and planted into bags or pots. Care must be taken not to damage the taproot as this may slow the initial growth rate of the plant.”

    if so what went wrong? have you tried a different seeding mixture? more or less sand? was it maybe too wet or too dry?

  4. Thanks for the help Guys, I am using sandy soil and have been advised to just lay the seed on the soil with a light covering and to keep moist

  7. hey J.
    Read somewhere that when the seeds pass through the rameron pigeon digestive system they germinate quicker….got any chickens? 🙂
    sorry cannot provide the link but if u goOGLE ‘ grow yellowwood easily ‘ u should happen upon a pdf link to “capeaction” something.

    much luck

  8. How to plant yellowwood from seeds? I need to do 10 000 but out of 15 000 seeds only 2000 geminate ? Thank you.

  10. In September I scrounged a load of free bark mulch from Arderne Gardens in Claremont, Cape Town, which came with lots of yellowwood seed. A few sprouted themselves. I’d say the time spent in moisture and humus must have helped, if only to rot away the outer ‘fruit’.

  12. I’ve planted 400 repo yellowwood trees (about 30cm high) in 5L bags. They are showing a lot of new growth & doing well, but I’m a bit concerned that the new growth seems a bit YELLOW…. is this normal?

  13. Lize, is the new growth not always a little lighter? if it continues, try adding some diluted manure fertilizer.

  17. i have a lovely old Yellowwood in my garden in Rosebank,Johannesburg,app 90years old,plenty of seed,i planted some of the seeds in compost,good earth under the Elephant Ears and nearly 100 sprouted,app 60survived.my garden is like a forest,maybe it does help.
    I have picked up some more seeds today after last nigh’s rains.

    Anybody serious about some little baby trees,contact me.

    Christiaan Erasmus

  18. Hi, Christiaan

    I would love to get a tree or two. I would also like to grow the seeds.
    Your trees are podocarus falcatus?

    I can be contacted on 0765099010.

    David Hawes.

  19. The seeds need to be kept in a shaded area while waiting for germination, since these are forest trees. This might help germination.

    For the record, I heard that if you carefully remove the hard outer coat it speeds up germination. Just be VERY careful not to damage the insides (cotyledons) or you won’t have a tree….
    If you’re not brave enough for that, just use some sand paper and rub the seeds, this will help to break down the hard seed coat, and allow water penetration to the cotyledon, therefore speeding up germination!

    I’m about to sow quite a few myself! Hold thumbs!

  20. Yellowood seed readily germinate but take a little time and encouragement. The trick is using ripe seed (yellowish green or chartreuse) and keeping them moist at all times.

    If the fresh ripe seed dries out it turns black and dies unlike many other seed which can keep.

    There are many easy methods to keeping the seed viable and germinating over a long period. A batch wont all germinate at once but over an extended period. For me the easiest is the deep compost method, a square compost bed on lightly cultivated ground in light shade or under cloth of very well rotted compost using planks or bricks to hold it all in.

    Spread evenly a layer of dried leaves or fresh composting material then mix in some some well rotted compost then add a good pure layer of the well rotted compost about 30cm deep with some veggie lime mixed in (keeps the soil from going sour from all the moisture otherwise producing chlorotic seedlings, bright yellow as they cannot take up iron) all firmed gently down, water well making sure there the drainage is working.
    Spread the seed over this bed as thick as you want even ankle deep will be fine but about ten cm is best, then add a good thick cover about 10cm of very fine pine bark mulch mixed with compost about 3-1, then cover with pure pine mulch just a light dressing water well again and wait.

    The compost keeps the seed warm by the decaying material underneath, the mulch keeps it damp and warm. Keep the bed moist all the time but never wet otherwise the seed will rot so drainage is important. Built in layers like this the bed will hold moisture well and probably only need proper watering once a week. Some seed will germinate immediately while others will only start after winter or spread over the following year. Harvest the seedling as you need them and pot up, you should have nice big batches going all year.

    Basicaly all your doing is recreating a nice natural leaf litter forest floor with some decent rainfall or mist added. Many yellow wood seed usualy germinates happily under the parent if the climate is right, damp leaf litter is all it needs.

  21. Hi there!!!

    You guys are doing something wonderful to help the environment. I am an environmental practitioner at Richards Bay Christian School on the South African North Coast. Educating the learners how to preserve natural resources.

    We are also doing a seed planting project with the learners. I am looking for someone who can please donate the Yellow Wood seeds to us. Please send them to Box 50400 Disa Dives, Richards Bay, 3900.

    My contact numbers are 035 7861147 OR 0710766430

    I would definately appretiate your offer and your kindness.

    Joshua Nene

  22. Hi there!!!

    You guys are doing something wonderful to help the environment. I am an environmental practitioner at Richards Bay Christian School on the South African North Coast. Educating the learners how to preserve natural resources.

    We are also doing a seed planting project with the learners. I am looking for someone who can please donate the Yellow Wood seeds to us. Please send them to Box 50400 Disa Dives, Richards Bay, 3900.

    My contact numbers are 035 7861147 OR 0710766430

    My Email is josh@rbcschool.co.za

    I would definately appretiate your offer and your kindness.

    Joshua Nene

  23. My name is Abraham from western part of Kenya am very interested in conservation of environment especially by planting trees am interested in growing Podocarpus falcatus from seeds and i would be grateful if i got help on how to go about it,on how to get the viable seeds ,the cost and GROWING PROCESS.

  24. I put handfuls of the seeds in plastic bags, like a bread packet, and then put the bags inside a larger bag, and then put that somewhere in the dark, like a cupboard or wrapped in a blanket, and then check the packets every few weeks, and they germinate well like this. Once the root comes out about an inch I plant them in bags.

    You might try clear plastic bags and not to many so you can see in the bag quickly when checking. I discovered this way of doing it by accident after leaving them in a packet and forgetting about them.

    What the seeds really like is to be in the cocoon provided by the packets and outer blanket or newspaper, and also being in the dark.

    The seeds fall off the tree in autumn and if you just leave them in the packets they start germinating towards the end of winter. I have so far made hundreds to germinate with this method, and this winter I did not know what I was doing and only discovered this technique by mistake, so next time it will be more effective.

    Thats what works best for me. I prefer it to direct planting because I can see which seeds are germinating before planting.

    If you need seeds always keep a look out for trees growing on verges, where the seeds fall into the road or pavement and will just go to waste or get walked on or driven over. Most yellowwood that grow on verges are like this where I am and leave thousands of seeds on the road that just end up being wasted.

  27. You can have as many seeds/seedlings as you want from me. They germinate and grow like weeds in my garden! I collect hundreds that fall in the road. and sprinkle them near watercourses when I am out walking the dogs. They make a fine replacement for Syringas/bluegum/ Jakarandas.

  28. My name is Ariel Shai a past time MScAgr student at the University of Natal (Kwazulu). I am living in Israel on a small farm and specializing with exotic fruit trees of Africa. (yes I have Marulas- Sclerocarya sp., Baobabs – Adansonia sp., Kei Apples – Dovyalis sp. I am interested in seeds of various yellow wood species. About 100-500 seeds and will cover cost + shipment in a padded envelope. I am ready to exchange seeds and cuttings according to your regulations.

  30. Pingback: Propagation by Seed vs Propagation by Cuttings: An Expert Comparison - Sprig

Leave a Reply