not sure what the sprout is, but if it's a cycad it's like nothing i've ever seen. looks like some sort of iris or related bulb.

I've never seen a Zamia sprout, so I can't say what it is.

But I suspect that it is not a Zamia. The long narrow spike like sprout doesn't look like the Zamia's paddle like leaves at all.

It'll eventually reveal its identity though. And by the rate it is growing, that should be soon.

I can't remember if I dumped any soil from a seed cup into this pot that I thought had failed to sprout. It's possible. In that case, it might be a Heliconia?

The other seeds I had that failed to sprout and that I recycled the soil from the seed cups from would not look like this. They were Senecio, Azalea, Tabebuia and Jacaranda seeds that seemed to have failed to sprout. So I recycled the soil.

So this little surprise is still holding its secret.

What does a Heliconia sprout look like?

No way that is a cycad leaf coming up. Almost looks like a blade of grass. It makes me think that is a palm just coming up, like one of the washingtonia seeds that fall all over the place in California. Time will tell.

I don't think it's a Heliconia, either.

So I don't think it came from seeds in recycled soil from my failed seed cups.

It must be something that originated at the nursery where the Zamia came from. But there's no telling yet what it is.

Stay tuned and I'll post another pic when it gets bigger.

I'm inclined to clear some soil away to see if I can spot the seed remains that it came from.

Tommorrow is Sunday so I will have time to play.

Here's a pic of one of my Sago seedlings showing a new sprout.

{{gwi:1170111}}

Clearly, the Sago seedling is nothing like the sharp spike of a leaf in the photo above.

I tried to see if I could find the seed, but that shoot is coming from way down deep in the pot, several inches deep. I don't think this is any kind of palm, either. It could be an onion for all I can tell.

It really could be anything..but my guess is it's a sedge,since i recognize every other weed seed in that pot. All pretty common. I have had those even sprout in pots of plants ordered from Hawaii.

it's a palm, the blue color makes me think sabal,brahea, could be a everglades palm...but it is definatley a palm seedling.

I agree that it looks like a blade of grass or some type of palm or a combination of the two.

I think it looks like some type of fan palm with those long slender leaves i would say mediterranean but i'm not sure.

The mystery is solved.

It's an Iris.

It is apparently one of several bulbs I planted this past spring that appeared to have failed. When I obtained the Zamia, I had planted it in the same pot that one or two of the bulbs had been in.

I know it's an Iris, because I went to the soda bottle planters where I still have several bulbs planted and to my surprise, more than a few are resprouting now that cooler weather has come to this part of California. They all look alike. I had thought they had all died, because they had sprouted earlier and withered away during the Summer. It's funny, but these resprouts don't look like the original sprouts. The originals were much thinner and seemed to curve or spiral up from the bulbs. The resprouts and thicker and straight spikes. That's why I didn't recognize the mystery sprout for what it is until now.

It's an Iris.

Don't give up too soon on something you planted. I keep finding examples over and over again ... seeds and bulbs that suddenly spring to life after I'd thought they'd died or failed.

I had just given up some time ago on Bird of Paradise Seed I had planted and ... bingo, one sprouted!

I've recycled soil from seed cups a couple times now and ... well, I guess I'm in for more surprises.

:)