Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Seeding and Propagation

Identifying and Planting Bismarck Palm Seeds

Bismarck fruit/seed

If your 10-year-old Bismarck palm (Bismarckia nobilis) has fruits of two sizes (quarter and golf ball), they're likely all seeds—just natural size variation. The solid white interior is the endocarp, normal for palm seeds.

Planting Method

Soak seeds in warm water for 2 days.
Plant 1 inch deep in a deep pot (palm roots grow fast and are brittle).
Keep warm; germination occurs in 6–8 weeks.
As seedlings emerge, carefully separate into individual deep pots.

For more on palm seed propagation, see the University of Florida guide.

Seeding and Propagation: Bismarck Palm Seed Prep: Fruit Removal Only, No Pit Cracking; Bismarck Palm Seed Maturity: Field Collection Timing Critical; Queen Palm Seeds: Identifying, Harvesting, and Growing; Lady Palm Flowering: Why You Need Male and Female Plants for Seeds; Bismarck Palm Seed Preparation: To Husk or Not to Husk?; Canary Island Date Palm Seed Germination: Complete Protocol; Lychee Seed Germination: Root Orientation and Fruiting Timeline; Canary Island Date Palm Seeds: Southern Louisiana Propagation; Store-Bought Peach/Nectarine Seeds: Dormancy Mechanism and Timing; Planting Nectarine Seeds: Pit vs. Kernel

Garden Articles

Growing a Peach Tree from a Seed

Propagating Grancy Greybeard (Fringe Tree): Seeds vs. Cuttings

Bismarck Palm Seed Germination: Soak, Don’t Crack

Bing Cherry Seed Timing: Stratify in November for Spring Seedlings

Planting Canary Island Date Palm Seeds

Harvesting and Testing Sago Palm Seeds

Fruit Seed Propagation: Cold Stratification for Apple and Pear

Plants

Step-by-Step Guide to Germinating Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) Seeds

Growing Cherry Trees from Store-Bought Fruit Seeds

Germinating Peach Seeds: Hybrid Warning and Cutting Alternative

Nectarine Seed Germination: Complete Process and Expectations

Can You Grow a Citrus Tree by Burying a Whole Fruit?

Easiest Fruit Trees to Grow from Seed: Citrus

Identifying and Propagating a Sago Palm Seed Pod