Weird seed pod

[missyburd]

Hi all....

This is a bit of a long shot but I brought this seed pod thing back from Torrevieja in Spain a few weeks ago. Left it on my windowsill with some other bit and bobs I have. Got back a from a month away and found this pod had actually opened like a jugsaw and scattered seeds all over my windowsill and floor. When I brought it over it was just a hard little ball with these faint outlines of the future jigsaw on it. Obviously the heat from being sat behind glass had made it think it was in Spain!

Here are a few pics. I can't find out what it is anywhere, seeing as I don't have a clue what its mother plant is. All I know is I got it from a hedge, evergreen I think it was too. So what do Spanish people have as hedges lol.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/576/dscf0202b.jpg

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/734/dscf0200.jpg

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/6894/dscf0199.jpg

Davepreston might know what I'm on about :p

P.S. And before anyone says aaargh why did you bring a foreign seed pod into the country!! I am well aware of invasive species taking over so I have collected up all the seeds I could find and put them in a safe place ;-)

[Jayneflakes]

I know what it is... :---)


<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BGRN39oifsE&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BGRN39oifsE&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[BigBaddad]

I've got two seed pods that look like that.

[rpwoodman]

I'm pretty sure it's a type of connifer

[Scoobs]

Aliens

[Stingo]

AliensThat's what I thought...
*hums tune to Invasion of the body snatchers*

[Bibio]

you bad girl.

what do customs say about bringing foreign objects back to the UK?

[gettin2dizzy]

It's totally a skunk superstrain. I've heard about these in prophecies.

[xXBADGERXx]

Tut , hold out your hand and accept a slap , have you seen the DEFRA Advert ?

[missyburd]

Tut , hold out your hand and accept a slap , have you seen the DEFRA Advert ?
which one? about food imports? I wasn't bringing it back to consume later :-P

I'd actually completely forgotten I had it in my bag as I'd picked it up on a walk and meant to ID it over in Spain :rolleyes:

[punyXpress]

This:
http://z.about.com/w/experts/Conifers-713/2008/11/Italian-Cypress-Seeds.jpg
. . . should be an Italian Cypress seed pod, so the Spanish one could be similar.
Leylandii ( also Cypress family ) are quite similar, but are much smaller around here - picked some up this aft.
Regarding your excuse, only you could flutter your eyelashes at plod & get away with a ticket!

[punyXpress]

BTW this is the reply for growing them on, but it IS from an American! :
Answer
Thee is a chance that they will germinate but I would not expect a high rate say about 50% would be good but you will more than likely get around 25%. First they need to be stratified-cold-stratify (wet a paper towel, wring out, and put the seeds between the folds of the towel; seal in a plastic baggie and keep in fridge for a month). Before you do this they should have wings on the seed--rub the seeds in your hand and remove the seed from the wings.

After a month in the frig plant them in potting soil just barely under the soil. Seed - sow late winter in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 20°c. The seedlings are very subject to damping off so should be watered with care and kept well-ventilated. When they are large enough to handle, ***** the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Best of Luck!

[missyburd]

Cheers Puny :-D