Please find for sale 10+ seeds of Ravenala Madagascariensis better known as the Travellers Palm. The name “Travelers tree” is due to the myth that travellers would survive due to the accumulated moisture in the leaf bases!

PLEASE NOTE: All orders received before 8pm (Mon-Fri) will be dispatched same day

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INSTRUCTIONS - TO SAVE PAPER I NO LONGER SEND OUT WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CUSTOMERS. INSTRUCTIONS ARE BELOW SO PLEASE BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. FEEL FREE TO MESSAGE ME WITH ANY GROWING QUESTIONS.

This rare and stunning plant is actually not a true palm at all. It is a member of the Strelitzia - so a cousin of the Bird of Paradise plant. The plant produces very large gloss and beautiful green leaves which are all aligned on the same plane creating a stunning fan shape. The plants are frost tender so in the UK they are best grown and container plants where they will be a stunning centre point of any sunny sheltered garden or patio before being brought into greenhouse or conservatory over winter.



Germination Guide

  • Soak the seeds in a cup warm water for 2-3 days, changing the the water daily, rubbing off and removing any loose skin around the seed. 
  • Keep the cup in a warm pace during this period, eg on a radiator or in airing cupboard etc.
  • Prepare a compost mix - ideally 50% seed compost and 50% vermiculite.
  • Place mix in suitable bowl and microwave on full power for 2 minutes to kill and fungi/bacteria
  • All soil mix to cool naturally
  • Place mix into clean seed trays or pots
  • Plant seeds about 1/2 inch / 1.5cm deep and cover with compost.
  • Humidify the soil but do not over water to prevent mould. 
  • Cover with some plastic dome or film to preserve humidity but ventilate enough to prevent mold growth. 
  • Place the pot somewhere warm, like on top of the central heating system. Humidify the soil when needed.
  • Germination will take place within 1-2 months.
TOP TIP! Don't use all your seeds in the same tray just in case rot sets in. 

Olly's General Guide to Seed Sowing!

I love sowing seeds and it runs in the family - dad, granddad and finally my great-granddad for whom the hobby helped him get over his experiences in the Great War. I still get a big kick when I see the first seedling poking through from a new plant that I have never sown before or been successful at. However, even the most experienced gardeners draw "blanks" from time to time. Whilst I sow all the seeds that I sell so I know that they are viable, some are trickier than others and problems can arise so here are some tips to make "blanks" few and far between:

1) Don’t Rush! Tempting though it is when that packet arrives in the post to simply bung the seeds in some compost!

2) Google and YouTube are your friends! Take some time so see the methods other people use to germinate the seed. 

3) Think Nature! What conditions do seeds face? For example a seed from a tropical plant will fall to the warm, wet and dark jungle floor. A seed from the mountains of Europe will fall to the floor in Autumn, then have to endure months of freezing temperatures before germinating in the spring. So as growers, what we are trying to do is to simulate the conditions that the seeds will naturally experience and there are plenty of tricks that can be done to short cut the processes somewhat.

4) Good compost pays dividends. The best investment you can make is to purchase three bags - one of potting compost, one of vermiculite and one of horticultural sand. With these three bags I can make up whatever soil type a particular seed likes (although for most seeds I find a 50/50 mix of compost and vermiculite works just fine) 

5) Rot is your enemy. The single biggest danger to seed germination is rot - either before or after "damping off" the seeds germinate. To reduce the risk, ensure you have good free draining soil mix and that it is moist but not wet. Unless the seed variety absolutely requires it I prefer NOT to cover my seeds trays with plastic bags, Whilst germination is often faster this way, it greatly increases the risk of rot. I prefer to place my seed trans inside a watertight plastic tray and water from the bottom - airflow over the surface reduces the risk.

Overseas Orders

Buyers please note that they are responsible for any local customs duties or other taxes in their local country and should also ensure compliance with an biosecurity regulations.

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