What a grand suprise I had tonight when I opened my greenhouse door – the very first bloom on the Zantedeschia aethiopia Green Goddess I grew from seed was waiting for me!
I was so excited I had my daughter Sarah stop decorating the Christmas Tree to come and see the bloom!
Angel, my yellow lab, followed wondering what I was so excited about!
Poor Sarah had no shoes on and had to leap over the wet ground to get into the greenhouse to see the flower.
She was not quite as excited as I was, but hey, she has yet to grow her first seed to the flowering stage!
Table of Contents
How To Germinate Zantedeschia Seeds
I prefer starting seeds in damp paper towels because I feel it helps increase my germination rates and prevents wasting soil.
The way I do this is to fold a piece of paper towel in half, then in half again so I have a square.
I slightly dampen the paper towel.
You do not want it dripping wet.
Once the paper towel is damp, I open it and place the seeds inside.
I refold it and place it in a small ziplock bag.
I put the bag in a plastic shoe box with a lid and check the seeds daily.
Here is a video of me explaining how to do this.
For the Zantedeschia seeds, I placed these seeds in damp paper towels on January 23.
Believe it or not, I had four seeds that I started that day and ended up with four plants.
You don’t get any better than 100% germination!
The seeds took approximately 21 days to germinate, with the first seed showing signs of germination on February 6.
Potting Up The Zantedeschia Seedlings
That spring I planted two of the seedlings in the ground and left two in peat pots in the greenhouse pretty much neglected.
The ones I planted in the ground I fertilized and then mulched that winter with pine needles.
I then covered them with plastic hoping they would survive here.
Needless to say, last spring they did not come up at all.
In the corner of my greenhouse in a flat the other two seedlings were still setting, so I decided to pot them up with a Clitoria seedlings.
They grew like weeds this summer.
When fall came the planter went into my greenhouse.
Finally The Zantedeschia Blooms
I had no idea when they would finally bloom, let alone that it would happen during the winter months when my greenhouse was slightly on the cold side.
I simply cannot tell you how excited I was to see my first bloom tonight.
It is a lovely green as you will see from the photo.
The other plant appears to have a bloom getting ready to open on it as well.
The only fertilizer these plants received was a time release fertilizer that I put in the soil this spring when I potted them up.
Other than that the plants have received nothing but water.
Flowering Tropical Plants
How To Grow Tacca To Be A Successful Bloomer
The black flowers intrigued me, but the bat plant comes in many colors - brown, white and even green! Learn how to grow tacca from seed to bloom!
Amorphophallus Titanium: Life Cycle And Facts About The Corpse Flower
Learn about the life cycle of the Amorphophallus titanium as well as how to propagate it and some fun facts about this unique corpse flower.
Introducing Brugmansia: A Superior, Fragrant, Nocturnal Plant
Brugmansia trees are highly fragrant, night blooming plants with trumpet shaped flowers. Learn how to care for your brugmansia.
How To Care For Holiday Plants
Have you ever wondered how to care for holiday plants such as the Poinsettia or the Christmas Cactus? If so, then check out this holiday plant care guide
How To Grow Heliconia
Learn how to grow Heliconia. Proper plant care is important to keeping your Heliconia healthy and thriving.
Plumeria: The Lei Flower Is A Fragrant, Easy To Grow Houseplant
Learn how to care for your Plumeria in ground and in containers. Because of the winter dormancy period it is ideal for summer containers.
Growing Tropical Plants
The key to successfully growing tropical plants is learning about them. Growing tropical plants is easy once you know their basic needs.
7 Sure Fire, Proven Steps For Successful Orchid Care
Successful orchid care is pretty easy once you understand the seven basic steps the plant needs to thrive in your home environment.
How To Grow Enormous Tropical Bulbs In Containers
Learn how to successfully grow tropical bulbs in containers. Regardless of where you live, there are reasons to grow in containers.
Easy Exotic Houseplants: Tropicals That Thrive Indoors in Containers
Tropical plants are the most beautiful, easy to grow indoor houseplants. Start growing exotic houseplants today that fruit and flower!
Suggested Reading: Two Great Books On Tropical Ornamentals
Learn about two books on tropical ornamentals. Breeding Ornamental Plants and Tropical Ornamentals are a must read for those who love plants.
How To Grow Beautiful, Delicate Tibouchina
Tibouchina are beautiful but delicate plants with gorgeous purple flowers and a velvet like foliage. They can be bushes or vines.
How To Grow Mallows
Learn how to grow mallows, a Malvaceae family which includes some of the most popular plants for the home garden, Hibiscus.
Ophrys
Ophrys are a rare group of terrestrial Orchids that grow in the wild and look like insects, especially bees, hence their common name.
Flowering Trees For Fragrance And Beauty
Flowering trees add beauty and fragrance to the garden. There are ones for tropical climates, cold climates and even indoor gardens.
Expert Advice On How To Grow Beautiful Allamandas
Allamandas come in a range of colors, are easy to grow and do well in containers. They also overwinter well indoors in cold climates.
Expert Advice On How To Grow Oleanders
Learn how to grow Oleanders as well as propagation methods. Learn about the toxicity of this plant as well.
Rafflesia Arnoldii
Rafflesia arnoldii produces the largest flower in the world yet this colorful, but strange plant is rare and grows on the rainforest floor.
Tropical Plants In Cold Climates: Overwinter Tropical Plants Or Start Over Each Year From Seed
Tropical plants grown in cold climates look great during the summer outside but many make great houseplants in the winter.
Celebrate Halloween With Night Blooming Plants
A cool way to decorate and celebrate Halloween is with night blooming plants! Create a spooky garden that glows in the dark this year!
How To Grow Tropical Plants
Growing tropical plants - also known as houseplants - indoors is fun and enjoyable plus many of them clean the indoor of pollutants.
It is easy to grow exotic looking plants that produce tropical fruit and colorful flowers in a pot in your living room or office.
Many of these plants are easy to start from seed and I share with you five plants that I recommend for indoor growing.
I also share with you why growing your own tropical fruit saves money.
In this video you will learn:
How to bring tropical plants indoors at the end of summer
How to grow tropical plants indoors
How to protect and overwinter tropical plants outdoors in cold climates
How to propagate tropical plants
How to water tropcial plants
How to grow topical plants in a greenhouse
