They may not look like much, but these little fellas could be the Holy Grail of growing citrus from seed – polyembryonic seedlings. What’s happening is that two seedlings are growing out of one seed (in other cases it can be three). One of these seedlings is a true seedling, formed via the normal process of fertilization. It will therefore have characteristics from both its parents.
The other seedling has come about differently, essentially formed by vegetative propagation inside the seed. It is a clone of its mother – it will grow up to bear fruit with the same eating qualities as the fruit it came from. Polyembryonic seeds are most common in limes and the small oranges (according to Keith Mossman in The Pip Book).
There is really no way to tell which is which until the trees come into fruit, and so I will have to nurture both seedlings. They’re mandarins, and it will be several years before I know. I sowed these seeds back on 10th March.
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Wow – I didn’t know that was possible. How cool and exciting! Thanks for teaching me something new today :o)
How exciting!
I love the Pip Book too – it has inspired a lot of growing in my house.
Reading this has just made me pick up the yellowing copy of The Pip Book that sits on my book shelf. I’ve never read it, but will gen up on the citrus family later.
This post inspired me to save the pips from the manderin we ate for pudding yesterday. I’ll be planting them as soon as I have space on the windowsil.
Good luck with the seeds, Rachel
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