Anyone else trying to collect seeds from houseplants? I’m putting together a simple “seed collection chart” so I know when to harvest, how to clean, and how long to store seeds from common indoor plants. I’m a beginner and get confused by pods that shatter, berries that go mushy, and seeds that apparently hate being dried. Would love your input on what to include and real-world timing/cues that actually work indoors under LEDs.
What I’m thinking the chart should have:
- Plant (species/cultivar group)
- Pollination notes (self, cross, hand pollination tips)
- Time to maturity (days/weeks after flowering), but also visual cues to harvest
- Whether to bag pods/inflorescences (for shattering or fluffy seeds)
- Cleaning method (dry rub, soak-and-rinse, remove pulp, etc.)
- Storage (dry/cool vs sow fresh, fridge or room temp)
- Viability window (how long before germ rates drop)
- Special notes (surface sow, light/dark to germinate, legal/labeling gotchas)
A few starter entries-please correct/add details:
- Hoya (e.g., carnosa): often needs cross-pollination; pods mature in several weeks to a few months; harvest when seam browns and just starts to crack; bag pods to catch silky seeds; sow fresh, viability drops fast.
- African violet: hand pollinate; capsules brown and split in 6-10 weeks; dry, sieve; store cool/dry; 1-2 years decent viability.
- Oxalis triangularis: capsules go from green to pale/tan and can pop; bag or harvest just before they spring; seeds like to be sown fresh.
- Anthurium: berries turn bright and soft; remove pulp fully; do not dry hard-sow immediately; very short storage.
- Begonia (fibrous/rex types): tiny “dust” seed; let capsules dry and tap out; store cool/dry; better fresh but can last a year+.
- Crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii): pods can eject seed; bag inflorescences; collect when pods brown; dry store; sow within the season.
- Hippeastrum (amaryllis): papery black seeds in 4-6+ weeks; best sown fresh, but short fridge storage possible.
- Cacti (general): berries ripen and soften/color; clean seeds from pulp, dry thoroughly; cool/dry storage; viability often several years.
- Orchids: capsules take months; need sterile flasking-worth a separate category?
Questions where I could really use your experience:
- What are your foolproof “it’s ready” cues for indoor-grown plants (color/texture changes, days-after-bloom you actually see)?
- Which houseplants are “sow fresh only” because seeds are short-lived or can’t be dried (true recalcitrant or just fussy)?
- Any that almost never set viable seed indoors without specific techniques (self-incompatibility, night temps, specific pollinators)?
- Best low-effort ways to bag pods/spikes on a windowsill so they don’t explode fluff or fling seeds everywhere?
- Storage hacks for small quantities: paper vs coin envelopes, silica gel, fridge vs room temp, “do not freeze” species?
- Cleaning tricks for pulpy berries (Anthurium/Philodendron-type): simple soak times? a bit of enzyme? tips to avoid mold?
- Labeling/ethics: seedlings won’t be the named cultivar-so what’s the right way to label/trade them? Any legal concerns I should know?
- Plants to avoid adding because they’re invasive locally or legally restricted as seed?
If you can drop a plant + your harvest cue + storage note, I’ll compile everything into a shared chart and post a printable version for the group.