Cyphostemma Juttae

[Brandon]

I have always wanted a Cyphostemma, and recently purchased a C. Juttae. One question I have is, do cuttings come true to form? Do they grow into a nice cuadex plant or are they like an adenium?
-Brandon

[Steve Steward]

c. juttae is mostly propagated from cuttings these days. Also, adeniums make great plants from cuttings- just as fat as seedlings.

steve

[cactusman]

I too have done many cuttings from both. I might add that I have found it important to not be in too big a hurry to water heavily as it will invaribly rot some. Strong, bright light but not direct sun, good porous soil, and light, even waterings have worked best while temperatures are warm. John

[Tim Harvey]

Cuttings? That's surprising to hear, especially since they grow so well from seed which is freely produced.

T

[Brandon]

Thanks everyone!
I was just wondering since i had heard they were easily propagated through cuttings, and i will most likely experiment with this in the future when mine gets a bit older!
Thanks again!
-Brandon

[Steve Steward]

Tim, you've grown juttae from seed? For reasons unknown, myself and pretty much anyone I have talked to have found it difficult to germ juttae. Any tips would be great.

p.s. I've grown other cyphostemma without much trouble, not sure why juttae is a pain.

SS

[Tim Harvey]

Yes, I have so many seedlings I didn't bother sowing seed this year.

The key is clean them properly, making sure the gelatinous covering around the seed is kept intact. I also believe in hand pollination.

A few years ago I got a batch of almost 500 seeds from a single plant. I experimented with over 20 different treatments (ageing, GA, acid, freezing, abrasion etc. and combinations thereof) and monitored germination. Statistically speaking nothing I did made any difference, and all groups showed 50-80% germination.

Here's some of the data; it was a 2-year experiment.

T

[Allen Repashy]

Did you show the seed fresh, or how long did it sit?

[Tim Harvey]

The seed was harvested in November, and sown the following year, or later. Age was one of the variables tested.

T

[Craig Ruaux]

Tim, what were your basic sowing conditions (soil type, light exposure, how deep etc etc). I'm with almost everyone else, I've never had C. juttae germinate (I've tried 4 x now with seed purchased from Mesa Garden).

[Tim Harvey]

They were sown about 1/2" deep in 6" square plastic pots in 90% 3/16" pumice and 10% perlite, except for those planted directly in beds.

The pots were under 30% shade cloth. The beds were in full sun.

I believe the seed itself, as opposed to the sowing conditions, are the most important factor for success.

None of this applies to C. uter seed, of course!

T

[Steve Steward]

admittedly i never tried it with any fresh seeds. They were either purchased, or whatever was hanging around the nursery. Some probably had rat hair stuck to it. Thanks for the reply though, it's very useful!

SS

[thistlesifter]

Spring of 2008 after very cold winter, experienced total of over 800 volunteer seedlings around 4 different 20 year old outdoor juttaes. One of these was over 80 yards dislocated from the others. All but the dislocated plants had multiple flowering clones around them nearby.

We have let seed lie fallow for every year of the 25 years we have grown and had juttae fruits. I have no clue as to why this bumper crop. It isn't anything we did different that I can figure.

I wish betiormis, bainesii and currourii would do that.

[Sarmis Luters]

I am with the people who have tried sowing Cyphostemma seed without much success for many years. It seemed to be hit or miss with this genus.

Advice from people who have had success varied a bit. One person swore to just put the whole "grape" without cleaning in soil and let it do its thing. That method sounds like what would happen in nature?
Another talked of cleaning the seed completely, then using sandpaper to sand
off each end of the seed a bit, then sowing it. This is a method of scarifying the seed. Some people do similar with cycad seeds.

My own personal experience, I ve cleaned the seed from my mystery cyphostemma, more on that ID later, stored them for a bit, then sowed them
in my regular 50/50 of Supersoil and Pumice Mix and water regularly and let them dry out between waterings.
This particular batch shown in the foto below, I sowed the seed last winter, and just noticed them this late spring. I have a confusing greenhouse, okay!

I found if you can get them going past the 3 inch pot stage, have a good enough climate (warm summer and mild winter), go ahead and plant them in the ground or in beds outside, you will have a monster plant in a relatively fast period of time. Or if you only have a greenhouse, make an indoor bed garden to let them "stretch" their roots and watch them take off.

A friend had a "bowling pin" size plant reach a 3 foot tall x 1 foot diameter stage in less than 5 years in the ground in Torrance, CA. It would probably be even faster in a hot climate such as Riverside, CA or similar.

best,
sarmis luters
redondo beach, ca

[Stan]

Well,they grow here in the bay area,flower etc. But fast growing? not in our under 80f summer climate. Slow but steady. I did learn pot growing was a waste of time..they only really grow in ground any girth.
So far, no cold down to 30f has caused any damage. If I had the room to add more though I would..great looking plants.