They're just about the easiest seeds to germinate. Just remove most of the yellow 'fruit' and sow immediately in individual pots. That one almost looks like it's got some dactylifera in it, but the fruit looks more canariensis. Do Phoenix's interbreed?

Can I just sow any date from the grocery store? Or is there something special I should look for when selecting some? How long do they take to sprout? Sorry for the compound question.

Josh, you can not sow the pitted dates. The pit is the seed. But otherwise, yes, the unpitted dates do have viable seed. Just eat the date, spit out the pit and clean them up by soaking in water for about 24 hours. Then plant and wait till January or February when they start to germinate.

As for my Canariensis dates, they all appear to be infertile and not even worthy of being called drupes. Only three of the fruit had anything resembling seed and they seemed far to small compared to those of Phoenix dactylifera for me to believe that they are fertile.

{{gwi:1178013}}

The largest seed in the picture is about 3/16" long. Phoenix dactylifera seed are typically at least twice that length and twice the width.

Both trees by the church are female and there are no other Phoenix Canariensis anywhere near them. And that's probably why they are infertile.

Oh well. A windfall sometimes is best left where it fell.

I'll sow the three seed, but I doubt they will germinate.

bearstate,

That's too bad about the seed. But CIDPs are SO NUMEROUS in CA that you should be able to find viable seed just about around any corner! By the way, that was a rather pathetic-looking palm with the weird narrowing at the upper trunk.

Yeah, that hour glass narrowing is wierd. And it occurs lower down on the tree again, more toward the base. Both of the trees there have those same odd features. Perhaps, they didn't get watered well during certain years of their growth? Or somebody forgot to remove the bindings to the post being used to keep the tree's growth straight?

bearstate,
my street is parallel to one that is planted with CIDPs and Washingtonia Robusta for about 15 miles. there are both male and female palms so the seeds that drop are always viable, and palms sprout like weeds since the birds carry their seeds and drop them everywhere. I actually have three CIDPs of notable size in my yard that grew by themselves. I dont think the dates have matured yet, but i have seen the palms blooming recently. I could maybe take a walk and collect some seeds from below the palms for you. We could maybe set up a trade of some sort.

Heres a shot of my yard and you could see the tall CIDPs and Washingtonias in the background.
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jd

I've yet to trade anything with anyone and don't yet harvest seed; but as you are nearby, it seems possible.

What might you be interested in?

I have some surplus of the following seeds ...

Puya Sp. "Neon Green"
Crepe Myrtle White, Pink and Magenta ( Mixed )
Senecio Petasitis

The Puya seeds are very viable and I have already germed some. The Crepe Myrtle come off trees here on the property and have not been tested. They are the only seed I have harvested from anything and are worthless to me as I have crepe myrtles all over the place here. The Senecio seed failed once already, due to my lack of understanding about how to germ them, but I have a new sowing already planted with a better understanding of their needs and have some seed left over.

Any other seeds I have at the moment are of interest to me for sowing this coming Spring.

But I 'might' be willing to spare maybe 4 of the following:

Tabebuia chrysostricha

I have a blooming Bird of Paradise here that may give seed, but no guarantee of viability or fertility and certainly, it's too early to harvest those seeds yet.

Don't exclude the other posters to this forum however. I'm sure someone out there would like some of those CIDP seeds.