Lodoicea maldivica

When European sailors recovered the first of these giant seeds floating in the Indian Ocean they were thought to be produced by plants growing below the sea. Later, their origin was believed to be the Maldives Islands south of India from where they got their name. Today, it is well known that a tall, sturdy fan palm with a thick trunk and stiff, costapalmate leaves, native only to two islands in the Seychelles, produces these gigantic nuts, the largest seed of any plant. The seeds are not very difficult to germinate. They produce a very long "sinker" that anchors the base of the palm and the first leaf deep into the soil. The first leaf takes many months to appear and subsequent growth is very slow. Despite these drawbacks, this palm has always been much sought after; but, viable seeds are in short supply. We are delighted to finally be able to offer these seeds at a very fair price.

• Please enter the number of seeds that you wish to order in the "Quantity" field and click the button at the end of the page to go to the checkout.
• Phytosanitary certificates or other declarations can be met for any destination.
• Seeds are sent out fresh as soon as available.
• Postage and packing not included.
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large seed

US$ 450.00 Quantity:

The seed in this category comes from a 1-seeded fruit and is large and perfectly shaped. It usually weighs between 9 and 11 kg (20 to 24 lbs). Expect about an additional $170 to $200 per seed for express shipping (FedEx) to the US, Europe or Asia directly from the Seychelles. Seeds ripen year round and are always shipped fresh off the tree right to your door within just a few days. They are packed in sturdy styrofoam boxes at no extra charge to insulate against cold and damage in transit.
Viable Lodoicea seeds are temporarily unavailable due to an export ban from the Seychelles government. Until this ban is lifted we can only supply empty nuts, polished or natural.

Empty nuts, natural or polished, are also available for display in Museums etc. They are sold at the same price but freight is much cheaper as they are hollow and lightweight. Please contact us for details.

Exceptionally large nuts that can weigh up to 20 kg (44 lbs) are sometimes available. Please inquire for prices. Undersized and misshapen seeds may occasionally be available at discounted rates.

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germination

Seeds can be germinated in very large containers, at least 150 cm (5 ft.) tall, but are best sown directly in the ground in their final position outside. Chose a well protected spot with some canopy. Young plants do not like full sun and wind may severely damage their leaves. A humus-rich, acidic soil with perfect drainage is best. If your soil is not up to these requirements, please amend it accordingly. In a rocky, hard soil it is advisable to drill a large hole and refill with a mix of soil and well decomposed leaf mulch or compost. Place the nut on the ground with its flat side down, burying it only halfway, and cover the entire area with 10 cm (4 in.) of well decomposed leaf mulch. The temperature during germination should not fall below 24°C and not rise much above 32°C. Help with a heating cable or pad and/or thicker layers of leaf mulch to avoid extremes of temperature. The germinating nut should always be in shade. In a sunny location, use shade cloth. Keep the nut moist at all times but avoid a waterlogged soil. Check frequently under the mulch to make sure humidity levels are good.
Germination of the worlds largest seed will take several months. The nut will produce a very long "sinker" that anchors the base of the palm and the first leaf deep down into the soil. The first shoot thus always grows down. If this should in rare occasions not be the case (for instance if the germination process has already started when you receive the seed), turn the seed around so the shoot can grow down into the soil. This massive "sinker" is very brittle and the nut should not be moved or disturbed after it has emerged. The "sinker" will form a large base and eventually split open along its side to produce the first shoot. The first leaf will take many months to appear above the ground. It will be very large, 2 to 4 square meters in size. Lodoicea grows very slowly and will take 30 to 40 years to reach maturity. Both male and female plants are required to produce fruits.

germination comments by our visitors
For general germination instructions click here.

Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

... are difficult to germinate.
Sow seed at 75 degrees F in spring, half buried in damp sand, in containers at least 3ft deep to allow room for roots to develop. Has a 3ft taproot
Submitted on 09/10/2006 by Wyatt Reinhart Dogseadepression@yahoo.com

...easy to germinate and need more than 1 year to sprout.
My seed was planted Nov 2003, Ft Lauderdale. After seeking many opinions and reading all I could on how to germinate this pricey seed I planted the seed and covered it with a mulch dirt mixture. The seed was placed on the north side of my house in an area with shade for a little more than half the day. I tried to keep the seed moist but alsoe allowed it to have time to dry, in order to prevent rot. While out of town the the seed had to endure a few severe temperature drops below zero but came through unscathed!
Submitted on 16/06/2005 by Rob Hodel exilerob@hotmail.com

...difficult to germinate and need more than 1 year to sprout.
2003 Summer to fall I am Purchased Total 6 Lodoicea seeds from you.This Summer 2004 ALL 6 Nuts are start germination these seeds are very huge Strong root. First I put about 50liter container in Green House. Then seeds are start Germination. Repoted Huge 500 liter deep Container. this summer. Today December 17th 2004 Comming out from soil. I am lucky !!!
Submitted on 16/12/2004 by KEI TOMONO lachesis@wd5.so-net.ne.jp

If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.