If pollination had occurred, these could have matured into seeds. The seeds take months to mature, and will have grown much bigger by the time they are ripe, and have turned a dark, almost-black color. When they fall off while still small and yellow, pollination has not occurred.

C. elegans trees are either male or female. One must have at least one of each, blooming at the same time, for pollination to be possible, or for those in warmer climates, a nearby neighbor having a tree of the opposite sex blooming at the same time.

I was pretty excited the first time I saw seeds on one of mine after a couple decades of them blooming every year. There is still the outer husk of the seed attached to the roots of this little sprout:

How cool!

So, are you saying that these are blooms, and not seeds? If so, then I'll have to change the photo description.

How can you tell if a plant is male? I may want to find one to plant with my female! Then I can be a plant matchmaker!

Ah HA! I finally discovered how to change a photo's details so the correction(s) have now been made. Thank you, not only for the correction, but for the interesting information.

Now I have to find a male to cohabitate with my female! Then I'll have to name them, for sure. Or get a double bed for them...

My pleasure! LOL! Yes, your blooms look female to me. The male blooms are bigger and look like a tiny balloon with a triangle hole.

When mine have made seeds a couple of times, it was when I put them out during an early spring so they must have been visited by whatever moth or bee or fly or other pollinator that got the job done. It probably could be done manually with a little paintbrush or Q-tip. Have fun with it!

purpleinopp said: My pleasure! LOL! Yes, your blooms look female to me. The male blooms are bigger and look like a tiny balloon with a triangle hole.

When mine have made seeds a couple of times, it was when I put them out during an early spring so they must have been visited by whatever moth or bee or fly or other pollinator that got the job done. It probably could be done manually with a little paintbrush or Q-tip. Have fun with it!

Oh, cool! But I'd really like to find a baby boy to plant with her. How would one tell when the plant is very small?

I think the only way to know is while the blooms are on. If you buy one of those pots with 67 seedlings, about half of them should be male. They are not hard to separate when they are sprouts. Pot up the best-looking few and... do whatever with the rest of them.

purpleinopp said: I think the only way to know is while the blooms are on. If you buy one of those pots with 67 seedlings, about half of them should be male. They are not hard to separate when they are sprouts. Pot up the best-looking few and... do whatever with the rest of them.

My pleasure! I hope you have as much fun with it as I have. You seemed really into it & psyched about it in the other discussion. : )

purpleinopp said: My pleasure! I hope you have as much fun with it as I have. You seemed really into it & psyched about it in the other discussion. : )

So true!