Tree Seeds: First Batch Update 9/4/20

This is the initial update on the first batch of tree seeds that I planted a few weeks ago. So far, one Royal Poinciana and four Jacarandas have grown above the soil! The seedlings have been growing steadily and I have been surprised how fast they have sprouted up. While a few of the seeds have sprouted, most of them have not. The seeds that have been slower to develop are the Siberian Elms, Elephant Ear Trees, and Camphor Trees. Most seeds can take upwards of six weeks to show any growth above the soil. I am hopeful that they will start to sprout soon.

Royal Poinciana

I originally planted two Royal Poincianas. So far, one sprouted and has taken off like a rocket. It has shot straight upwards and grew two ovular leaves along with three skinny branches containing lots of small flat leaves running all along the branches. I am not sure if the other seed will start to grow soon or at all for that matter. Since the first one grew in so fast, I am worried that the second one will not grow. This is one of the seeds I’m most excited about in this batch.

The Royal Poinciana is native to Madagascar. When this type of tree matures, it starts to grow red-orange flowers all over its branches. I have been looking at pictures online of fully developed Royal Poincianas and am extremely excited for this seedling to start flowering! This tree is a tropical tree. That means it can be grown entirely indoors and treated for just like any other indoor bonsai. I will be keeping this seedling inside with my indoor collection of bonsai for the entirety of its development.

An interesting thing about my Royal Poinciana, the leaves change direction depending on the time of day. During the day, while the sun is out, the leaves point upwards and are all spread out. During the night, the leaves point downwards and shrivel up a little bit. This is caused by the sun. It’s kinda cool to watch the leaves flip up and down throughout the day.

If you want to learn more about how to care for Royal Poinciana trees, check out the care guide.

Jacaranda

Thus far, I have had four Jacaranda trees sprout up above the soil. They all started to show signs of growth at the same time. The seedlings are relatively short and all have two boxy leaves with new growth at the center of the stem. There are still eleven Jacarandas that need to sprout. Even though the first four grew in fairly quickly, I have not given up hope on the other ones.

Another name for the Jacaranda tree is Blue Jacaranda. Fully developed Jacaranda trees have pale indigo flowers that fill the tree. This tree is native to south and central parts of South America, classifying it as a sub-tropical tree. That means the Jacaranda can be grown entirely indoors and treated just like any other indoor bonsai. Just like the Royal Poinciana, I will be keeping these trees with my indoor bonsai collection as they continue to grow.

If you want to learn more about care for Jacaranda trees, check out the care guide.

Stay tuned for more updates about my first batch of tree seeds and more! If you missed the last post about my tree seeds you can check it out here. Don’t forget, you can also find all these pictures and more in the Gallery.