Thanks to friend Jenny I went out a few days ago to gather up kowhai seeds around Struan Farm. After reading my recent update on "The Next Big Thing," in which I expressed my desire to grow our own native trees from seed for planting out, she contacted me to say that now is the time to gather kowhai.
I went down to the Homestead gardens, where a large, old kowhai flowers each year and self seeds lots of new trees, a number of which we have transplanted. I could see seed pods quite high up in the tree, at first I thought I wouldn't be able to get them. That was until I looked down! There were heaps on the ground, I'd just never seen or recognised them before:
The seed pod clusters are rather cool, aren't they? Rather like a Calder sculpture or other modern art. The seeds themselves,a brilliant yellow like the flowers, are encased inside:
Jenny advised that it's good to chew or abrade the seeds somewhat before planting. Makes me suspect that in the bush they are probably picked up, digested then eliminated by wood pigeons, our only seed disperser here in NZ.
Next comes potting up, (hopefully) followed by germinating trees. Will keep you posted.
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