During our recent holiday we visited the rainforest in Costa Rica at the La Selvas Biological Station where I picked up these seeds. They are about 2 inches in size. I was told they were from the "bean tree". Ever keen on challenges I brought them home wrapped in wet tissue and am intending to see if I can grow them as a pot plant. The tree they came from was very very very tall. So if I am successful with growing them I will possibly have to donate them to the Ventnor Botanic Garden for their tropical greenhouse!!!!!One of the seeds was sprouting when I wrapped them, but the green tip has turned brown in travel. The other was completely dry when I packed it but has now split and the shoot is growing. I'll keep posting my progress!
posted by lilymarlene @ 8:52 pm
9 comments
9 Comments:
Yes, that could fill up a garden greenhouse very quickly! It will be fun seeing how they sprout.
What great seeds. I wonder if the bean tree is Catalpa (The Indian Bean Tree) which can be grown here in England.
Fantastic!
I have tried to find it on the net to no avail. The Indian Bean Tree kept coming up but the seed pods on that are totally different.
Any other suggestions gratefully received!
I don't mean to rain on your parade but it can be risky bringing living material across borders. Bugs and invasive species can wreak havoc in new environments - and they often have done so. I am sure its most unlikely to happen in this case, but its something I have learnt a lot about and I believe its important to be aware of that and not to encourage the practice. It can also be considered unethical if for example the species led to commercial gain but no deal was made with the people who owned the land where the material came from. I am not suggesting any of this would be your intention - I just think its something you should be aware about for the future, and other readers of the blog too to think about. Its nice to grow exotic plants.
I do appreciate what you say....all of it. But I thought as they were seeds it would be OK. The guide didn't try to dissuade me from bringing them....indeed he found the second one for me. He is one of the researchers at the Biological Station so I am sure he can't have thought there was a problem. If it was cuttings, or rooted plants I'd not have done it!
i wonder if it might be worth investigating whether it is an Inga edulis tree or related, also known as the ice cream bean tree.
I googled that but the seed pods are totally different. Any more ideas? Keep them coming.
How about something in the Bignoniaceae? The tree looks almost like a vine.
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