I have White Bird of Paradise seeds and/or pups to trade for banana's and/or plantains. I'm interested in any edible fruit bearing variety. I'm new to gardening so you may need to help me determine the right time to pick the seeds if that's what you choose to receive. I've posted a thread in the propagation forum for info. I also have Elephant Ear (not sure what kind but the leaves are at least 2 feet long!) if you'd rather trade for this. Thanks
White Bird of Paradise seeds: Seed Collecting: Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2467/ Propagation Seeds A bird-of-paradise grown from seed will take three to five years to bloom. The black seeds have orange fuzz on one end and are the size of sweet pea seeds. The hard seeds must be scarified (nicked or scratched) before they will germinate. To scarify, soak the seeds in lukewarm water for several hours, and then nick them with a knife or small file. Scarified seeds will germinate in two to three months. Another way to decrease germination time is to put un-scarified seeds in a plastic bag and place them in a refrigerator at 40-45°F for two weeks. Then scarify them. Sow seeds in vermiculite, a one-to-one mixture of peat and perlite, or a ready-made mix, to a depth of one-half inch. The soil mix must be kept consistently damp until the seeds germinate. To ensure a moist, humid environment, cover the seed flat or container with a sheet of glass or clear plastic and place it in indirect light. Transplant seedlings individually into pots when they have two true leaves. Fertilization can begin at this stage. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG106
Thanks Blake. I think I'll try the fridge method :-) I don't have any banana's yet. I want to trade BOP for Banana's. I just moved to FL from CA and have only Elephant Ears, BOP, Hibiscus, Ixora and Plumeria. Banana's and Heliconias are first on my list of plants to grow.
When my Musa Blue Java "Ice Cream" pups I'd be glad to trade if you haven't gotten any other offers by then. I have Elephant ear Illustris and plan to use it to choke out some ivy next year. Not to deter you from UBC, but bananas.org has many auctions and trades going on for banana plants. Their forums aren't nearly as active but they specialize in tropical plant trading/auctioning.
Nina - are you interested in any banana seeds? I have many varieties. Won't have banana pups until Spring, but this is their 1st year, so we'll see how it goes. I can set you up with seeds, if you're interested... : )
