How to Make Seedless Plants

Seedless plants are among the oldest plants known to man. A few species can produce fruit without going through the normal process of pollination and fertilization of the female by the male. The banana, naval orange, pineapple and watermelon can grow in this way, through a process called parthenocarpy. This term means virgin fruit in Greek. Other seedless plants reproduce by spores, such as ferns and mosses. Re-producing such a plant is an interesting and often worthwhile project.

Frond tip
White Paper
Sterilized potting medium
Pots
Plastic bag

Instructions

- 1
  Collect ripe spores from fronds of ferns. Ripe spores will be yellow, brown or black. These are found in shady, damp areas of the woodlands or forest. Remove a tip from an unfurled frond from a large plant. Do not use ferns growing on public park land; collect spores from ferns on private property you own or where you have permission to collect from.
- 2
  Place the frond piece between two pieces of white paper. In 24 hours the tiny spores will have loosened and dropped on the bottom sheet of paper.
- 3
  Place spores onto dampened, sterilized soil in small pots. Limit the spores in each pot, most will have a germination rate of 90-percent success.
- 4
  Place pots into a plastic bag to hold in humidity. Keep soil moist by misting when needed.
- 5
  Place bagged pots under a double fluorescent grow light or in an area that gets indirect light. Seeds often germinate within a week. Tiny fronds develop within a few months. Allow fronds to reach 3 to 4 inches in height.

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