Grow a new Mexican blue palm from a fresh seed. Soak it, clean off the fruit pulp, sow it in a deep pot, and keep the mix warm and barely moist until it sprouts.
Sow a fresh seed in a deep pot
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | Ripe fruit, sown while fresh | Do not store seed for months, and do not sow a floater |
| Prep | Soak 24 hours in warm water, then rub off the pulp | Do not cut into the inside of the seed |
| Pot | A draining pot at least 6 inches deep; two or three seeds per pot | Do not use a shallow tray the taproot will hit |
| Warmth | About 75 to 81 F, mix barely moist | Do not let the mix dry out, and do not sit the pot in water |
Mexican blue palm does not make rooted suckers, and a frond cutting will not grow. Seed is the way to start a new plant. Sow as soon as the fruit is ripe. Fresh seed usually sprouts in three to four months at about 77 F. Stored seed is much slower. [1] Soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours so the pulp loosens and water can enter. [2] Throw out any seed that floats. A long taproot forms before the shoot, so use a deep pot and sow two or three seeds together.
- Pull ripe fruit from a mature cluster, or buy fresh seed. Do not pick green fruit.
- Soak 24 hours in warm water. Keep the seeds that sink.
- Rinse off remaining pulp. Do not cut into the inside of the seed.
- Fill a draining pot at least 6 inches deep with a sandy mix. Sow two or three seeds, just covered.
Can I grow Mexican blue palm from a cutting?
No. A frond or trunk cutting will not grow, and this palm does not make pups. Sow a fresh seed.
Keep the mix warm and barely moist until it sprouts
Guadalupe palm uses the same seed method. Its fruit is larger, with a thin sweet flesh, but the kitchen job stops here: clean the pulp off and sow while the seed is fresh. Seed more than a month old may not sprout. [3] Keep the mix barely moist at about 75 to 81 F. Expect sprouts in two to four months from fresh seed. Old seed can sit much longer. [4]
- Slip the pot into a plastic bag, or use a covered tray, so the air stays humid.
- Set the pot in a warm room, or on a heat mat, near 77 F.
- Keep the mix barely moist. Soggy mix rots the seed.
- Wait through three or four months before you give up on fresh seed. Stored seed can take longer.
- Once a seedling shows, take off the bag, keep it warm, and wait until it has several leaves before you move it to its own deep pot or into ground that drains in warm weather.
After the seedling is growing, sun, drain, and the soak stay on How to Grow Mexican Blue Palm.
How long do Mexican blue palm seeds take to sprout?
Fresh seed usually takes three to four months in a warm, barely moist mix. Old seed is much slower, and Guadalupe palm seed often fails if it sits more than a month.
If nothing has sprouted after a few months, keep the mix barely moist and warm. Fresh seed is slow; old seed is slower.
FAQ
Can I eat Guadalupe palm fruit?
Ripe Guadalupe palm fruit is thin and sweet. Clean the pulp off and sow while the seed is fresh. Do not cut the growing point for heart of palm; that kills the tree.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Plants For A Future -
https://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Brahea+armata - [2] University of Arizona Campus Arboretum -
https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=38 - [3] University of Arizona Campus Arboretum -
https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=862 - [4] Plants For A Future -
https://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Brahea+edulis
This note is part of Brahea Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors