I have a giant elephant ear plant, some type of Alocasia. It is several years old, very well established and has put out a lot of seed pods. I'd love to find out how to harvest these and what the actual seeds look like. The pod has a flower on the top with what looks like a baby corn type pod inside. The pod itself has a more wet version of this same looking thing inside it. Which one is the seed? Thanks in advance for helping out a novice who's just getting into gardening.

Welcome @JimMooney74

I can't help with your seed question as I'm really not familiar with alocasia, but that is one beautiful and large plant you have growing. If you don't get a response here, perhaps someone in the Bulb forum or general gardening forums can assist with your question.

Another possibility might be this forum :
https://garden.org/forums/view...

Thank you! My wife and I have black thumbs down we have to find plants that are very hearty. I figured this question would fit better in "Seeds" because these are seed pods. They can also propagate from the bulbs, which we have been successful doing.. But now we have these alien things for the first time, turns out they're seeds!

Thank you! My wife and I have black thumbs down we have to find plants that are very hearty. I figured this question would fit better in "Seeds" because these are seed pods. They can also propagate from the bulbs, which we have been successful doing.. But now we have these alien things for the first time, turns out they're seeds!

Thank you! My wife and I have black thumbs down we have to find plants that are very hearty. I figured this question would fit better in "Seeds" because these are seed pods. They can also propagate from the bulbs, which we have been successful doing.. But now we have these alien things for the first time, turns out they're seeds!

Thank you! My wife and I have black thumbs down we have to find plants that are very hearty. I figured this question would fit better in "Seeds" because these are seed pods. They can also propagate from the bulbs, which we have been successful doing.. But now we have these alien things for the first time, turns out they're seeds!

Jim--sorry you haven't gotten any responses here.

I did find this article that may be helpful, if you haven't already seen it:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.c...

Those are not seeds. The outside of that structure is the spathe, and the structure inside is the spadix. In alocasia, they do not pollinate themselves spontaneously and make berries (which are what contain the seeds). It takes an insect, animal or human pollinator. And the timing is very important....female flowers and male flowers are located on different places on the same spadix and the female flowers are only receptive to being pollinated for about 24 hours after the plant blooms. Those other things that look like pods are not they are just spent blooms that never got pollinated.

If you were lucky enough to get them pollinated, the plant would produce (usually) a bunch of red berries on the pollinated spadix that look like pomegranate seeds.

@Gina1960--thank you so much for that detailed information. I learned a lot from your post

The seeds will look laike the above, I am sorry I do not have the exact species of your alocasia seeds head photo at the moment ( assuming that yours is A macrorhizos)
The above picture I attached is A alba fruits, ripening exposing the seed, most Alocasia will have yellow, orange or red seed when ripe.

Those are cool Tofi. I have only ever seen red berries on Alocasias. I have tried without success to pollinate some of my own. And they have never self-pollinated via insect or animal vector

Here, the native alocasia seeds freely, but those non natives and the natives that has been taken to garden almost never seeds. Probably there are some specific insect or other animal like bats are responsible, and those animal prefer natural setting.

I agree. The remusatias will seed freely here if you have enough but its rare to get free seeding Alocasia or colocasia

That is a beautiful plant. I've never grown them.

Karen

How long does the pod take to mature the berries?

If I open the pod early will they still grow?

Gina1960 said:Those are cool Tofi. I have only ever seen red berries on Alocasias. I have tried without success to pollinate some of my own. And they have never self-pollinated via insect or animal vector

I found a pussy willow plant and it pollinated next to my alocasia. I have 5 pods now. I have never had either plant before and it was a wonderful surprise. I hope I have berries!

JMcGinty said:How long does the pod take to mature the berries?

If I open the pod early will they still grow?

I don;t actually know as I have never gotten any to take