Mangrove Trees: How to Grow Mangroves from Seeds
Among the most recognizable trees in America are mangroves. It’s likely that you have seen pictures of mangrove trees in the South growing on roots that resemble stilts in wetlands or swamps. Still, if you get involved in the propagation of mangrove seeds, you’ll learn some incredible new things. Continue reading for advice on how to get mangrove seeds to germinate if you want to grow mangrove trees.
At-Home Mangrove Tree Growth
In the southern United States, mangrove trees can be found growing naturally in brackish, shallow waters. They flourish in wetlands and riverbeds as well. If you reside in one of the USDA plant hardiness zones nine through twelve, you can begin cultivating mangrove trees in your backyard. Think about starting mangroves from seed in your home’s containers if you want an eye-catching potted plant.
You will need to select from three distinct varieties of mangroves:
- Rhizophora mangle, or red mangrove,
- Avicennia germinans, the black mangrove
- Lagunaria racemosa, or white mangrove
When grown in containers, all three do well.
Seeds from Mangroves Germinating
Mangroves have one of the most unusual reproductive systems in the natural world, which makes them an excellent choice if you want to start growing them from seeds. Mangroves give birth to live young, just like mammals do. In other words, the majority of flowering plants yield dormant, resting seeds. After falling to the ground, the seeds eventually begin to sprout. When it comes to spreading mangrove seeds, mangroves don’t work like this. Rather, from seeds still attached to the parent tree, these unusual trees begin to grow mangroves. Viviaparity is the ability of a tree to hold onto seedlings until they reach a length of nearly one foot (31 cm). What follows when mangrove seed germination occurs?
The seedlings have the potential to fall from the parent tree, float in the water it is growing in, and then settle and take root in the mud. As an alternative, they can be plucked and planted from the parent tree.
How to Plant Seed for a Mangrove
Note: Verify that you have the legal authority to remove mangrove seeds or seedlings from the wild before doing so. Ask if you are unsure. To begin cultivating mangroves from seed, soak the seeds in tap water for a full day. Next, add a mixture of one part sand to one part potting soil to a container without drain holes. Pour seawater or rainfall into the pot until it reaches one inch (2.5 cm) above the soil’s surface. Next, lightly press a seed into the pot’s center. Place the seed roughly 0.5 inch (1 cm) beneath the soil’s surface. Mangrove seedlings can be irrigated with fresh water. But do give them a weekly bath in salted water. Get your salt water from the sea, if possible. If this isn’t feasible, combine a quart (1 L) of water with two teaspoons (10 ml) of salt. When the plant is growing, keep the soil moist at all times.
