Joshua Tree Seeds

Joshua Tree

Like the California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera, the Joshua tree is a monocot in the subgroup of flowering plants that also includes grasses and orchids. Don’t confuse the Joshua tree with the Mojave yucca, Yucca schidigera. This close relative can be distinguished by its longer, wider leaves and fibrous threads curling along leaf margins.

The Joshua tree provides a good indicator that you are in the Mojave Desert, but you may also find it growing next to a saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert in western Arizona or mixed with pines in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Years ago, the Joshua tree was recognized by native people for its useful properties: tough leaves were worked into baskets and sandals, and flower buds and raw or roasted seeds made a healthy addition to the diet. The local Cahuilla have long referred to the tree as “hunuvat chiy’a” or “humwichawa;” both names are used by a few elders fluent in the language.

How to Grow a Joshua Tree From Seed

Soilless potted mix is the best soil for planting seeds of the Joshua Tree. It should be moist but not soggy. Place the seeds in the center of the pot and water the pot daily until water puddles form at the base. Keep the mix moist until the seeds sprout.

This should take about two to three weeks. The temperature should be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the first week. Water the seeds as necessary. They need to be watered at least once every two days.

How to Grow a Joshua Tree From Seeds

Soilless potted mix is the best soil for planting seeds of the Joshua Tree. It should be moist but not soggy. Place the seeds in the center of the pot and water the pot daily until water puddles form at the base. Keep the mix moist until the seeds sprout. This should take about two to three weeks. The temperature should be around 60 degrees Fahrenheit during the first week. Water the seeds as necessary. They need to be watered at least once every two days.
 
The Joshua Tree is best grown from seed. The seedlings can be transplanted into tall pots at one and a half inches. For best results, the seeds should be planted in a potting mix consisting of two parts sand and one part perlite. The mixture should contain a long-lasting fertilizer. The plant should be placed in indirect light, which simulates the light under the parent tree.

Once seedlings are about an inch and a quarter in height, they can be transplanted into a large pot. The pot should be filled with a mix of two parts perlite, one part humus, and one part sand. The soil should have a long-lasting fertilizer and moisture. The plant should be kept in indirect light to mimic the light under the parent tree.

You will receive approximately 50 Joshua Tree seeds.