How to Collect Seeds From a Lotus Berthelotii

Lotus berthelotii is also called parrot’s beak because the shape of the bright red or purple flower looks like a bird’s curved beak. Lotus berthelotii is a member of the pea family, and the blooms turn into pods that contain the seed. It is grown as an annual in the summer or can be an indoor plant. The parrot’s beak plant makes a good hanging basket display with its silvery gray foliage drooping down and adorned with the bright, claw-like flowers. Harvest the seeds after the pod is mature.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• Scissors
• Fine sieve
• Bowl
• Tweezers
• Sealable plastic bag
• Peat moss

1. Cut the seed pods off the Lotus berthelotii. Lay them out somewhere warm to dry. Allow the pods to dry for three to four days, or until the outer skin is brown and crackly.

2. Place the sieve over the bowl and break open a seed pod. The seeds are tiny and shaped like an hourglass. Discard the pod and run your palm over the contents in the sieve, pressing gently. This will break up the debris and separate the seeds.

3. Pick out the seeds and put them in a sealable plastic bag surrounded by peat moss. Place the bag in a cool place for no longer than two or three weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Sow the seeds within a few weeks of harvest. Plant the seeds in sandy loam in a seeding tray and keep moist. Place the sown seeds in a warm place at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate. After germination, move them to the sun. Plant the plants outdoors when temperatures are at least 70 degrees F and the seedlings are 3 to 4 inches high.