Update ….. Winter Botany Study, Part 5c: Kentucky Coffeetree Seed Planting Trials

The story continues! My Kentucky Coffeetree seedlings are coming along beautifully. After carefully cracking and planting 9 seeds on March 27th, it was exciting to see 4 seeds had germinated about Day 18. Literally overnight these 4 seedling stems had grown to 1/2” tall.

And then ……

By Day 20, another seedling had popped up (5 total), and the first 4 seedlings were now 1-3/4” tall! 

Day 21, seedling #6 appeared; the first 4 to germinate were a whopping 3” tall, with #5 catching up fast.  Even though it appeared the stems (petioles) would grow taller still, leaves were obviously beginning to unfold.

Day 31 (since planting) and the excitement continues! Three of the first 4 seedlings now have 4” petioles which had “branched” into 2 compound leaves, with tiny leaflets along each 3” rachis.  Each rachis differs slightly; one has pinnate/even compound leaflets, which was expected, but the other rachis supports alternately-arranged leaflets.  What? An anomaly? Definitely a curiosity!

After all of this activity above the soil line, I’m expecting to see roots beginning to emerge through the pot’s drainage holes.  Not yet, but when they do the seedlings will be upgraded to larger pots.

Stay tuned!