Re: Picking seeds before mother nature does.

From: JimMcClem at aol.com on 1997.06.05 at 19:15:27(799) Sue When the situation that you describe happens to arisaemas, it usually means that no fertile seeds are present. "False pregnancies" are commonly seen, where it appears that a seedhead is developing, the berries begin to enlarge, but then the peduncle starts to wither and the whole thing falls over. If you check one of the berries, it usually contains nothing resembling a seed. I've never paid that much attention to Arum italicum, but I'd bet that the same thing pertains. When we take an unripe seedhead of A. sikokianum and allow the berries to get red, there are seeds present, and we do it in November or December when the cold weather has produced the withering of the peduncle. Jim McClements, Dover, DE

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