Arbutus Seeds and Strawberries

This is always a busy time of year for us but we frequently check on the progress of the arbutus seed clusters.  Today Becky found the first open seed berries.  They are just beginning to open and the ants have yet to find them.  The white pulp beneath the seeds is what the ants eat.  They simply discard the seeds.  This may be the year that I taste a small piece of the white pulp.

Seed clusters are numerous on the three female plants growing behind the arbutus wall.  We have yet to see a new plant from seed appear in this area.  Arbutus is well known to rigidly follow its own schedule.  The number of years required for its seeds to germinate remains unknown to us.  We have scattered seed in suitable spots around the place but no arbutus plants appeared.  We tried to carry seed over the winter in our freezer but nothing grew when the seeds were spring planted.

The large number of big light green new leaves is impressive.  These leaves and their new stems quickly followed the cycle of the flowers.  The small reddish green new leaves show that these plants are still sending out new growth.  This pleases us since next year's flowers form only on the tips of the new growth.

These plants have nearly filled their safe area under the cage.  We need to decide just how we will deal with the ever expanding plants.  It may be that the foraging animals only feed on arbutus at the end of winter.  If that is the case, then we could remove the cage during the months of new growth.  Then we could replace the cage after allowing for the unhindered passage of new growth under the cage sides.  That would place the new growth at risk of being eaten but the rest of the plants would remain  protected.

We usually limit each post to one subject.  Strawberries are included here so that we will be reminded that fresh strawberries appear at the same time as new arbutus seed.  New strawberries never go unnoticed and their appearance will remind us when to look for arbutus seed.

The berries in the basket were just picked from our sixty plants.  The box is marked for Heller's Farm but sadly they are no longer open for picking.  We have been enjoying their berries for five decades.  All good things come to an end and that appears to be the case here.  Heller's fields were always well cared for and their berries were excellent.  We will remember their friendly greetings, fair pricing and top quality fruit as a totally pleasant experience.

We plant one dozen plants within the confines of a forty by sixty inch cage.  Bird netting keeps nearly all of the birds out. The cage is simply set aside to tend the plants or pick the berries.  We tried to plant thirty plants in the garden by the woods.  No covering netting is in place and no red berries have been found yet.  We may need to find a way to cover those plants next year.  For now the new plants are sending out runners.  We will limit the number and location of the new plants so that all have room to grow.  A densely planted bed like those that were in Heller's fields is our goal. 

Arbutus Seeds In Two Colors

Our lofty goal with arbutus is to have them successfully self seed and produce new plants totally on their own.  So far that has not happened here.  One plant from seed did appear here but that seed was in the soil that was moved with the transplant since no seeds formed immediately following the move.  We have no way of knowing just how many seasons passed before the seed germinated.  We do know that neither the recent seed left alone, nor the seed I tended, have produced any new plants.  Reading has not offered any information about the natural cycle of these seeds.  Some do report success germinating seed under cultivation but that has eluded me.  This year the seeds will be left alone.  Whatever happens to them will not show my fingerprints.

Our planting near the arbutus wall had many clusters of developing seed this year.  Watched almost daily, the opening of the seed berries escaped our notice.  Generous new growth spread over the developing seed making it difficult to see just what was happening underneath.  When the cage was finally removed and careful inspection was made, all of the seed clusters were open and picked clean.

Five is the number that describes many parts the an arbutus plant.  Each seed berry shows grooves that split the whole into five sections.  Five green covering membranes have peeled back to reveal the ripe seed.  One might wonder if there is any significance to the different colors of the seeds.  Arbutus does have male and female plants.  Might there be a connection between the color of the seed and the gender of the plant that springs from it?  Since I have been unable to get the seeds to germinate, there will be no exploration of that question here.

This plant has another cluster of seed berries tucked under leaves on the far side.  It is difficult enough to get photos that are in focus at this close range without fooling around with hidden subjects.  It is unfortunate that the row of seed clusters on the other planting opened unnoticed.  They would have made a truly impressive picture.  There is always next year and we intend to try again.  As it is this photo is impressive enough.

A return visit was made one day after this picture was taken.  Both seed clusters were picked clean.  Ants are fond of the white mass that supports the seeds.  Chunks of it are removed and carried back to the ant hill as a food source.  Seeds fall off on the journey or are tucked away inside of the ant's home.  In any event no seeds now remain with the parent plant. We do not know how long the seed cluster was open before it was eaten.  We shall keep a sharp lookout for new plants from seed in the area surrounding the parent plants. The beginning of a time line has been noted.

Arbutus Seeds To Soil

Arbutus has so far managed to keep many of her secrets hidden from us.  Seeds have been produced for two years here but no new plants from seed have appeared.  We watched ants carry off chunks of the seed berries but no new plants appeared.  We tried scattering seed on favorable ground but no new plants appeared.  These seeds spent months in our refrigerator.  Contained in a waxed paper envelope that was placed inside of a plastic storage bag, these seeds have been kept cold and watched.  No signs of mold or decay were seen.  The month of January found the seeds in the freezer.  We placed them in a self defrosting freezer so that they would undergo daily fluctuations in temperature.  Today these seeds were moved into the relative warmth of our bedroom.

Our potting medium was taken from the base of an old white pine tree.  Fallen rotted pine needles and some of the underlying soil were placed in a bucket.  Field stones littered this ground.  Our opinion is that plant matter that decays in the company of stones is rich in minerals leeched from the stones.  We try to take this soil whenever possible.  Gloved hands worked this material through the small screen.  When filled with this special soil, the pots were placed in a dishpan partially filled with water.  We want the water to work its way up into the pots from their bottoms.  The seeds must not be allowed to dry out during the germination process.  The seeds were simply scattered on the surface.

A plastic wrap cover seals in the moisture and the bottom trays will be kept wet.  Both pots were placed in a south facing window near our tender plants that spend the winter indoors.  Now we wait.  The seeds are tiny and new seedlings will also be minuscule if they appear at all.  Without ample moisture the seeds will not germinate.  If we do see tiny specks of green, the risk of damping off is real.  The soil surface must then be allowed to dry while keeping moisture within reach of tiny roots.

The outdoor plants have been carefully watched.  Flower buds are numerous and open flowers will be found soon.  Then the cycle of seed production begins again.

Out Of The Freezer

Becky's first response to this picture asked for the identity of the subject.  It shows a folded waxed paper envelope containing arbutus seeds.  Tucked inside of a zip lock bag, these seeds have passed months in the refrigerator.  January saw them in the freezer and now they are back in the refrigerator.  The plan is to plant them indoors next month.

Arbutus has stubbornly refused to take part in my attempts to propagate it.  More than one hundred cuttings have failed to root.  Heel cuttings taken from new growth turned brown and died.  Stem cuttings did the same.  A special rooting compound did not change the outcome.  On the plus side, it is amazing just how long the cuttings remained green when absolutely no roots formed.

Seeds have also stubbornly refused to germinate here.  Ants and rodents have eaten the sticky sweet pulp holding the seeds together in the seed berry.  The books describe how the seeds are cast aside while the pulp is devoured.  So far no new plants have appeared near our treasured transplants.  I tried planting seeds in a sterile medium near the adult plants.  Some seeds were stirred in while others were simply scattered on the surface.  In two years the only green that appeared here was a weed.

So the plan for this year is to try and get seeds to germinate indoors.  Some seeds will be scattered on the surface and the clear dome covered pots will be placed on a south facing window sill.  Other seeds will find their pots on the heating pad under artificial lights.  Expectations are very low in light of past repeated failures.  There must be a crucial step that I am missing.  It might involve the seed passing through the digestive system of a specific living creature.  If that is indeed the case, I will never see arbutus plants from these seeds.

Bright sunshine and warm temperatures had us walking about outside.  We visited our remote transplants and sat on their protective stone wall.  Clusters of flower buds are visible and we are patiently waiting for those sweet scented blossoms.

Arbutus Seed To Soil

Eight days ago several arbutus seed clusters were nipped off the plants and placed in a tray near a basement window.  Today I could wait no longer.  These seed structures are almost as large as a pencil eraser.  Opening them while preserving their form was beyond my skill level.  Tiny seeds did fall on the paper towel as I tore the clusters apart.  These seeds are so small that I needed the photo to confirm their presence.
 

Ripe or not, the seeds were scattered on the surface of the previously prepared soil.  A handful of rotting pine needles was rubbed between my palms creating a fine natural thin covering for the seeds.  Now we wait.  When I checked back this evening, red ants were busily working the area.  Columns of these ants have been moving up and down the white pine tree trunk adjacent to the arbutus planting for days.  The purpose of this activity escapes me.  Hope that they are not interested in fresh arbutus seed although they were moving away some of the pieces of pine needles.

Eight days ago I also placed two broken arbutus stems in rooting soil.  One of these stems had been accidentally broken off several days prior to my rescue attempt.  That may be the dead one.  The second cutting looks good.  Its tiny hairy new shoot is encouraging.  These two plants were moved outside and removed from the plastic bottle covers just briefly for the photo.  Both have been returned to indirect light near a basement window.  Now we wait.

This picture shows the general condition of the arbutus plants today.  One unopened seed cluster remains attached to the plant.  It is hidden away under a flush of new growth.  A brown spot has just appeared on the surface of the cluster.  Perhaps we will be lucky enough to capture a photo of this seed structure when it opens naturally.  Now we wait.

Disappearing Seed Clusters

We have been watching these arbutus seed clusters for more than one month.  William Cullina warned that once the seed clusters matured and began to open, rodents would quickly eat the seeds.  Our plan was to follow his directions and harvest an entire clump when the first pod opened.  Our resident chipmunks have not read the article.  When I returned today intent on taking this swollen cluster, I found it already gone.  Chipmunks are great hiders of food when it is plentiful.  This nipped cluster is possibly buried nearby.  Now we get to watch for the appearance of new arbutus from seed plants if the chipmunks fail to find and consume all of the seed.

This plant has appeared in previous posts.  It sported several seed clusters and they were reddish colored.  Our other plants show white or green seed pods and there has been no change in color as the clusters mature.  The red color may be from this plants previous exposure to full sunlight all day.  All but one of this plants several seed clusters suffered early harvest from wild life.  I took the last remaining cluster today.

Two seed clusters and one broken stem complete today's harvest.  The seed clusters are on a window sill in the basement and we hope that they will continue to develop and reach full maturity.  I want a controlled  planting of some seed.  I also want a picture of an open seed pod.  Several clusters were left on other plants but I expect that the chipmunks will have at them.  My interference is certainly not nature's way but to compensate for my meddling I want to plant out several from seed daughter plants in various favorable wild locations.  If the chipmunks will help with that, then my goal of increasing the number of wild arbutus stands can still be realized.

Two stems of new growth have been accidentally broken off as I poked around trying to keep tabs on developing seed.  Both broken stems have been given an opportunity to claim continued life.  With no trimming, the fresh breaks were dusted with rooting hormone, placed in sandy woods soil and covered with a clear plastic bottomless juice bottle.  They will be watched to see if they develop a crown and roots.  My previous attempts to make new plants from cuttings were dismal failures.  Perhaps a natural break in the new stem will send out roots.

In spite of the setback with the seed clusters, we are extremely pleased with the progress of our first transplants.  Our four original plants and the one from seed daughter plant have formed an impressive clump.  Bright green new growth is everywhere.  The bare soil in the lower right corner of the picture has been prepared to receive seeds.  Part of a plastic nursery tray has been placed in a depression in the soil.  Screened soil taken from the base of our ancient white pine was used to fill the tray.  We usually try to plant wild flowers in raw wild soil but here we needed fine soil to allow for movement without root damage of young plants.  Now all we need is some mature seed.

Arbutus Seed Clusters

To say that our arbutus plants are closely watched would be a gross understatement.  Still, these are busy days in the garden and what we found today came as a complete surprise.  This recently transplanted from the wild arbutus has turned two of its three flowers in this cluster into developing seed containers.  What is disturbing is that the rod like structure in the center of each seed pod looks very much like what we previously identified as the male pollen producing organ.  We will have to look again closely next year and get our male and female parts properly identified.

This is the status of recently transplanted arbutus patch.  The two plants showing seed clusters are the right most plants in the middle and at the bottom.  We will identify them as three o clock and five o clock.  Also notice how the color of these plants has darkened since they have been moved out of full unrelenting sunlight and placed in the partial shade of a white pine tree.

This seed cluster is on a plant that was moved here several years ago.  Its pale green color may redden as it matures.  This rather small plant was deeply tucked into a moss patch and flowered for the first time this year.  I made no record about my gender speculations of this plant and it is the only plant in the collection to show developing seed this year.  A closer look will be made next year.

A single clump of soil containing at least three small  separate plants was planted near the house.  Three white fuzzy stems of new growth are growing out of this tiny plant.  Its appearance this Fall should impress anyone.  The various more primitive life forms are interesting to look at but will likely not survive in their new location.

We need to reread William Cullina's description of gathering and processing arbutus seed so that we are ready when the seeds are mature.  Plans are to simply scatter some seeds under different white pines and start some of the seeds in a flat.  We shall see how we do.

Missed Arbutus Seeds

I have been watching this cluster of spent Arbutus flower parts for weeks.  These flowers displayed female parts so seed was expected.  Seed is formed in what is described as a raspberry like structure.  It seemed likely that the seed cluster would be exposed as it ripened.  Excessive time has passed.  One of these spent flowers was carefully cut free with nail clippers.  It is time to see what is happening.

 
The center and right most structures proved empty when opened.  Perhaps no pollination occurred.  Carefully watched all summer, nothing was ever going to happen here.

This was found in the litter under the Arbutus plants.  Since it was not attached to any plant, no certain claim can be made that it is in fact an Arbutus seed cluster.  In any event, it is empty the seeds having been shaken loose or carried off.  This year has passed the point of seed collection and I came up empty.  All I have learned for certain is that the seed forms earlier in the year.  Another attempt will be made next year to try and record the actual sequence of seed formation.

If you disregard the leaves pointing into the picture from the edges, you can see the current state of our naturally occurring baby plant growing from seed set last year.  Left to their own devices, our four plants managed to set viable seed and one new plant grew.  Our goal is to continue to fool with mother nature and spread seed in new locations.  We would like to help this native plant return with some force to our small piece of ground.