Help collecting seeds!

[RWW]

Am I correct in thinking that these are seed pods?

If I collect them, should I dry them out before planting?

(And will the plant have self pollinated?)

[Aiko]

Or they are just dried out fruits without any seeds in there.

[rodsmith]

They look like seed pods but they may just be the remains of the flowers. A lot of cacti are self sterile. The attached guide indicates which are self sterile or fertile. The method of collection varies with the species of cactus. It is probably best to give one of the pods a light tug. If it comes away it usually means the seeds are ready. In some cases the seeds will drop out of the pod as you remove it. With others the seeds are in a sticky mess and have to be teased out, often in water. Others cascade their seed down the side of the plant. My practice is to remove the pod, let it dry out and seal it in a paper envelope (not plastic) over winter. Sowing can then take place in late winter or early next spring.

List of cacti inc self fertile (photo removed).doc

(2.39 MiB) Downloaded 159 times

[MikeT]

Many Neoporterias/Eriosyce produce promising looking big 'seed pods' that turn out to be full only of air, with no viable seeds. But presumably they look similar if there are seeds, so there's always some hope (at least until you open the pods).

[esp]

I don't grow Eriosyce (etc), but do they generally have relatively large, coloured fruit?
The dried up remins on you plant look nothing like these nice juicy fruit:

http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... krainziana
http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... a_lindleyi
http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... chalaensis
http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/ERIOSY ... it_540.jpg

[MikeT]

Neoporterias (previously a genus, now classed as a sub-genus of Eriosyce) such as paucicostata (= Eriosyce paucicostata) have fruits like this, see here,
here and here

[RWW]

I’ve opened quite a few if the pods and have this inside.
(This is the best pic I can get!).
I think I’ll dry them out and put them in some compost and see if I get anything!

[MikeT]

I’ve opened quite a few if the pods and have this inside.

I don't see any seeds there