Exotic plant seeds
Your own palm, coffee plant or carnivorous plant from the windowsill — growing exotics from seed has its charm for keener growers too. Here you will find exotic plant seeds: palms, succulents and cacti, carnivorous plants, tropical trees and unusual houseplants. For each packet we list the germination needs and recommended temperature.
Exotic plant seeds
Growing a piece of the tropics at home is within a beginner's reach — you just need to know what each plant wants. The range includes exotic plant seeds: palms and cycads, succulents and cacti, carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap and pitcher plant, tropical trees like coffee and fig, and colourful houseplant and collector species.
Exotics often have particular germination needs. Many seeds need steady warmth around 25 °C and higher humidity to germinate, so they do well in an indoor mini-greenhouse or a sealed bag. Hard palm seeds are soaked before sowing, while other species take weeks to months to come up — with exotics, patience is everything.
When choosing, consider the conditions you have at home — succulents and cacti want light and little water, carnivorous plants the opposite: steady moisture and soft water, and tropical species warmth and humid air. For each species, check whether it's a houseplant or whether it appreciates a spot outdoors in summer.
For germination, give the seeds warmth, moisture and, for light-germinating species, light — these are not covered with soil. Harden off young seedlings gradually and protect them from direct sun. Store the seed packets somewhere dry and cool, but sow fresh exotic seeds sooner rather than later, as their germination rate falls over time.