Hi Kate,

I never managed to germinate Marula seeds - pehaps they were too fresh. When still nothing happened after about 6 month in the pots I threw them out into the garden in disgust - where they promptly germinated! I now have 3 little Marula trees growing in a place where I don't really want them and hope that they will transplant easily.

Water well in summer, give a cool dry rest in winter (they are deciduous), keep it frost free.

Hope this helps a little, I have no experience with the others.

Maddy

Here are the instructions I got with my Marula seeds from Silverhill:
"Soak the seeds overnight in warm water, then place on damp fluffy peat moss at room temperature for about a week or 2. This softens the plugs found at the broad end - usually 2 per seed, sometimes 1. The broad end should carefully be pared down with secateurs until the outline of the plug is visible. Then, using a small pocket knife gently inserted into the plug outline, gently lever out the plug - may need vise grips to do this. Once this is done, the seed should be placed on the peat moss and kept moist at 25-30C. The root grows quickly and as long as the weather is warm, the sprouted seed may be planted. Insert the root into the soil and just barely cover the seed. Don't allow it to get too wet or too cold, use a fungicide, and if the weather is cold, bring it inside."
I haven't tried it yet, myself! Good luck!
Christine

I have 25 ft trees at my nursery in Largo , Fl. as well as several ficus from Vic Falls region. Alan

I found a .pdf file that describes Marula trees, including sowing/propagation.
My first marula seedling just came up! It's only a few inches tall and has only 2 sets of leaves.

Here is a link that might be useful: Marula Information

Marula trees in pots thats very bless.I hope they thrive.
J-C

Slightly off-topic, but have to ask this question ... has anyone tasted that wonderful South African-made liqueur made of Marula fruits? It is named Amarula and is available in the US. If you saw the old movie by Jamie Uys "Beautiful People" you'll recall how drunk the baboons and elephants got from eating the overripe Marula fruits ... so funny. Delina

I would love to get some marula seeds to grow. Does anyone know where I can buy some?

thanks,

Andrea

Man, that is GOOD stuff!!! Yum!

Where can i find marula seeds online? i tryed Silverhill but i can not find. Tanks...
Please Help.

I am also trying to lacate plants or seeds of THE Marula plant. If there is anybody out there who could help me I would greatly appreciate it. I live in Orlando Fl and I hope the weather is favourable here and our land is very sandy so it should be O.K.. I thank you all for reading and hope someone can help me out. Thanks once again

We got our seeds from a friend in Zimbabwe, who then sent them to Spain. Here is Silverhill's address etc.

Silverhill Seeds and Books, P.O. Box 53108, Kenilworth, 7745, South Africa. Tel. +27 21 762 4245, attention of Rachel Saunders.

Here is a link that might be useful: Costa de la Luz Gardening.

I want some Marula seeds. Here in Brasil it's impossible to get one!
I can send Ip, Sapoti,flor leopardo, tamarindo, baobá and others.

Thanks for your attention.
Bye.

Lorika,

Was wondering if you looked into sending seeds abroad. I live in California, and would be interested in Marula seeds.

Lorika

Did you manage to get some Marula seeds

Mo

know where I can buy seeds amarula?
I'm in Brazil

Has anyone succeeded in finding a source for Marula seed?
I would be more than happy to purchase some (25 or so) for experimentation here in Hawaii.

I want some Marula seeds. Here in Brasil it's impossible to get one!
I can send tamarindo, baobabs,mandragora,Welwitschia mirabilis
and more. Thanks for your attention.
Bye.

katie7b, this is a guaranteed method of sprouting marula seeds. Just ensure that the seeds are not more than 5 years old. Forget everything you have read or heard, dig a hole about 10cm wide by 10cm deep. Fill the hole with cow dung, the fresher, the better. Press a single seed about 2,5cm deep into the dung. Ensure that it remains quite moist and do not be surprised if every single kernel germinates within ten days. If the seed has three caps on it, expect three trees.
As I have only done this with cattle dung, I know for certain that it works so well with such predictably excellent results that it becomes boringly commonplace after a while. There is no reason that it should not work with the dung of other herbivores. Just ensure that there is enough to completely envelop the seeds.
I know that this works, as I have sprouted hundreds of the seeds at a time and almost every one has ALL its chambers open and sprout every time.

To those wanting to buy Marula seeds...
Seeds for Africa is offering Marula seeds on Bidorbuy.co.za

SilverHillSeeds is alive and well and they usually have marula available for sale. If they don't just wait 3 months and check back then. You should be able to search for it by "marula" or any other number of key words but it's always best to use the botanical name, Sclerocarya birrea. If SilverHill doesn't have it you can check over at LifeStyleSeeds too. They are another South African seed vendor of good repute (I've ordered many times from both of them).

As for germinating marula seeds; they love heat! Plant them 2-5 inches under the soil in a black plastic pot and then place the pots in a location where they will get the most amount of sun for as long as possible (unless you live in Phoenix, AZ or somewhere similar - in that case just leave them any old place with some sun) and water occasionally. They will sprout, usually during the early summer and they may have more than one seedling from each seed.

Once they germinate they grow quickly as long as there is lots of sunlight, lots of heat, and at least some water. Their roots will find the drainage holes in whatever you put them in and they will rapidly expand both deeper into the ground and in width (every seedling of mine by the height of 1 foot has roots at least 2 feet long, into the soil, and as big around as a grown man's thumb). Marulas eat heat for breakfast, trust me! With a long growing season and lots of heat and water they can grow more than 3 feet the first year and more than 6 additional feet the next, and that's just vertical growth.

All of mine have been damaged (leaf drop and limb dieback to at least 1/2 inch caliper branches) by temps of 21-24 degrees Fahrenheit. They have all regrown from what was left. Occasionally I have seen what appears to be an ungerminated seedling from the year before sprout in the same pot as a year or two old marula tree. The leaves are noticeably serrated and uniquely attractive with a light bluish green color to them. My oldest tree is 3 years old with a trunk about 5 inches in diameter and has survived being broken in half by a pine tree falling on it. The trunk of my marulas are spongy more than corky so far and a chalky white color. They have had no pests or diseases that have affected them. None of mine have flowered yet.

My marulas were germinated and grown in Bakersfield, California. Every summer we have about 30 days of triple digit temperatures plus many more above 95 degree Fahrenheit and it is hot from about early May to late September. It is about as low humidity as you can get. Freezing temps are usually late December to mid-February.

I'd very much like to hear more about peoples experience growing marula, particularly about cold tolerance limits with reports of temperatures and extent of damage. Just add your posts after this one.

Thanks! (And for that Brasilian person who keeps saying they'll trade seeds for marula seeds I'm game as long as you can get me some Spondias tuberosa seeds, should be able to save some during umbu/ombu season, especially if you're in the northeast or caatinga portion of Brasil)

Did you Guys manage to find marula seeds? Bought a few from seeds for africa and the first one sprouted after spending 2 weeks in my terrarium. It develops a long root extremely quickly.

Hi did any of you manage to get marula seeds, I can send it to you straight from africa, the method with the cow dung will work, cause if you look at the natural way........... animals eat the whole fruit....... then make a big pooh........and whalala the seed was planted!

Is anyone growing marula (Sclerocarya birrea) in California or Arizona? I'd like to hear from you!

I have marula seeds if anyone is still looking. Seeds are from the latest season can take up to two years to germinate if plug is not removed I also have seeds for monkey orange as well as many south African native fruits. Indigenous edibles are a interest of mine:)

Marula is my favorite fruit! Its mixture of slightly tart juicy flavour with caramel notes. Im trying to experiment with getting them to fruit in pots and they seem to dwarf into large bonsais nicely. You need a male and female for fruit but I have been successful in approach grafting with marula so I'm sure a male branch could just be grafted on:)

Hello

I am looking for marula grains
I had tree of them ( Coming back to France from South Afrika ), and had one germination , but unfortunatly my small dog broke it and I caÅt find anyone to buy on the web.
Is there some body who could send me several marula grains .
I will be very happy to try to make again this expérience in my house in France
Of course, I will pay the transport .
Thank you very much

I'm from Indonesia and want to try to plant in my garden Marula
I want to give a lesson in monkeys who likes ruin my garden
if anyone have a stock I am ready to buy
email contact me if there are pleased to send it to me
and all shipping costs will be my responsibility.

Mail: kayboganteng@gmail.com

I was searching the web and came across this forum. I live in the Netherlands and got a hold on a few S. birrea seeds last december. I've started growing them outside three weeks ago, and one is actually growing, 7,5 cm now! I really hope I can get him through the coming winter...

Roy, it's a tree from the semi-tropics, and you will undoubtedly have to bring your baby plant in during the winter. papagaul, when those fruits ripen, the monkey party in your garden will only get bigger and drunken ... can't see how that will help you! I'd say the fruits will be a magnet ... careful what you wish for :-)

Modjadje, I've prepared a special pot for it, the garage is insulated so it won't freeze in there. I hope it'll last through the winter. My lychee actually made it, I have it 5 years now, so I might just pull it off!

Roy, yes and i guess you'll have grow lights for it too, during the winter? but I'm curious what you're going to do as it will become larger and larger each year; it is a huge tree in its natural habitat. Have you ever watched Jamie Uys's film from the seventies, titled Animals are Beautiful People? very entertaining when the elephants, baboons, giraffes, warthogs and everybody else get drunk on the fermented marula fruits ... the movie is available on DVD ... I'm also in stitches with laughter when I rewatch those segments :-)

modjadje,

I do have grow lights, and there are three options for me;

- I can donate the tree to my school (teachers' academy for biology, with a big greenhouse);

- I can sell / give it away, for example to the local savannah inspired zoo;

- I can try to keep it at 1.5 - 2 metres by cutting it, but I don't know if it's possible. anyone had experience with that?

I got the seeds for free, and I thought of it as a cool experiment. I never thought I'd ever succeed in germinating them at first, but now I'll try to take this hobby as far as possible...

I'm from South Africa, and we have Marulas growing in the Magalies district. My husband bought two kilos of the fruit at a stall, and I'm going to make some Amarula. The fruit must be in alcohol for six months. It's now three days and already it smells divine. We have some frost in our area, but I'm going to germinate some of the seed and plant the trees in a sheltered spot.

Hi Mari. Did you have success with growing your marula trees. Would like to grow some too. How was your homemade Amarula

Am Julius from Kenya,can anyone who as marula seeds to to conduct me please???

Julius Mwendwa: Ebay sells Marula Seeds. I am in the U.S. and when I did a search on eBay it came up with a seller directly from South Africa.