Epithelantha fruit

Franj · Post by **Franj** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:38 pm

Yee ha! My little Epi's got chilis! Anyone know how to tell when it's time to pick them?

Franj

GeneS · Post by **GeneS** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:47 pm

Let the fruit dry naturally until brown and paper-like. Then they will easily detach and can be broken open to reveal seeds.

Be sure to protect the fruit from birds/mice, etc. They are favored treats. For humans too!

GeneS

Franj · Post by **Franj** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 3:18 pm

Thanks Gene

Is that generally true of most cacti? I have a Melocactus matanzanus popping fruit too. I picked some of the fruit as soon as it seemed no longer attached to the cephalium. Tried to germinate them without success. Should I have waited?

Franj

DieTer-Xz · Post by **DieTer-Xz** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:12 pm

Like Gene says, it's easier to let them dry and harvest then, but some species' seeds lose their ability to germinate quite fast.

Post by **daiv** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:46 pm

I think it was only a couple issues ago of the CSSA journal that they were talking about Mamm. seeds germinating while still in the fruit.

faslimy · Post by **faslimy** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:15 pm

I hear the fruits will stay on the plant for 1 year

I like to pick them when they aren't dry because that why I find it easier to squeeze the seeds out the end of the fruit.

Franj · Post by **Franj** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:41 pm

Too late anyway, when I got home from work I found both the fruits lying alongside the plant in the pot. Should I still let them dry out or do it Faslimy's way? That's how I did the Melocactus seeds. Just squished them out onto a paper towel then rolled them around with my finger to free them from the flesh of the fruit. Let them dry about a week and then tried to germinate them.

Faslimy do you get a pretty good germination rate with your method?

Franj

faslimy · Post by **faslimy** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:08 am

I got my first Epithelantha plant last year and harvested the seeds a few months ago, I'll be sowing them next month probably so I can't say yet sorry.

Buck Hemenway · Post by **Buck Hemenway** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:20 am

I'm going to say that, generally as long as that kind of fruit is ready to come off of the plant with little or no resistance, it is ripe. The seeds can be harvested directly out of the still juicy fruit or let it dry. The potential problem with letting it dry is the outer portion of the fruit can rot causing fungal problems with the seed. It's better, I think to get the seeds out and dry ASAP.

I think that I told Franj in an earlier post that my M. matazanus were slow. Even with bottom heat, they waited until the ambient temp went up to germinate. I think I have almost 100% germination. This is from seed that was produced last season over a 5 or 6 month period.

So my advice is, get the seed out of the fruit, it is perfect timing as it fell off on its own. You should be able to germinate them right now.

DieTer-Xz · Post by **DieTer-Xz** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 7:33 pm

A topic from my Dutch forum about the germination of Melocactus salvadorensis while still in the fruit.