Can You Grow a Tree from a Store-Bought Seed?

Can you grow a tree from a store-bought seed? The answer, much like a botanical gamble, is yes and no. In my humble experience, years ago while exchanging Christmas cards that came with pine tree spore packets, I embarked on a delightful yet unpredictable journey of growing a Christmas tree. Herein, I will share with you insights into whether you can grow a tree from the fruits you buy in stores, along with tips and advice for successful gardening.

The Pine Tree Adventure

I kept one pine spore packet from a Christmas card, thinking it would be a fun experiment. I followed the directions and ended up with three sprouting trees, two of which my dad cherished. Many years later, I would visit my parents and marvel at the pine cones my offspring trees contributed, perfect for Christmas decorations. This was undoubtedly a surprising and delightful experience, but it was also a testament to the unpredictability of growing trees from store-bought seeds.

Horticultural Insights

Most fruits in supermarkets are cultivated on hybrid plants. Hybrid plants are usually not capable of producing true offspring. Therefore, attempting to grow a tree from a seed collected from a supermarket fruit is a very risky venture. While you might succeed and end up with a unique plant, the chances of it resembling the parent fruit are slim. The outcome could be a delightful surprise, much like finding a delightful rose blooming in your garden, but it’s predominantly a gamble.

Apples: The Golden Standard

Apples, like any commercially grown fruit, are typically propagated asexually. This means that the resultant apple tree will produce the same type of fruit as the parent tree. Even if you purchase a delicious apple and attempt to grow it from seed, the tree you end up with might result in a crabapple, which is bitter and inedible. The likelihood of the new apple tree producing the same flavorful fruit as its parent is incredibly low. The apples on grocery store shelves stem from a mother plant that possesses the characteristics deemed commercially desirable, ensuring that every propagated apple is consistent in taste and quality.

Plant nurseries and Hybridization

Plant nurseries often combine desirable traits from different varieties of plants to grow them from seed. If you are on a gardening quest, consider collecting apple seeds from a known variety and then following these steps:

Allow the seeds to dry for a few days. Sow the seeds in damp soil. Keep the resulting seedlings in a sheltered yet bright environment. You may see some results after a few weeks or months. While the chances of obtaining a fully edible, delicious apple are slim, there is always a possibility of success. For instance, during my childhood, we had several Jonathan apple trees in our area, all of which were seedlings, and they produced fabulously delicious fruits.

In conclusion, growing a tree from a store-bought seed is a challenge and a gamble, but it can be a rewarding and fascinating experience. Whether you’re planting a pine tree or an apple tree, the journey is as delightful as the results can be unpredictable.