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by Richard Cook

I hope you can help me or point me in the right direction I am working on a school project and I am looking for a seeds(flower) that are very durable – the seed would have to stand up to heat and travel through a animals digestive system. Any help would be great. Thank you Rich

Drought Smart Plants reply:
Okay, so what kind of animal are you thinking of?

Birds quite often eat berries, and transport the seeds long distances in their digestive system. In some cases, their digestive juices and scarification of the seed coat by the gravel in their crop is an essential part of the germination process.

Ruminants like cows, sheep and goats that have four stomachs pretty well digest any of the seeds, and this explains why their manure is preferred for gardening – no weed seeds make it through their digestive tract.

Horses are renowned for transporting weed seeds intact, to spread them wherever they go.

Without knowing more about what you’re trying to achieve with your experiment I’m at a loss to suggest any kinds of flowers to you.

Jacki

Comments for seeds

Jan 02, 2012

seeds
by: Anonymous

Thanks Jacki. I would like to find a seed and feed it to a dog and have it grow after it goes to the bathroom, flowers would be nice for my project but any info would be great. Thank you

I seriously doubt if this will work – a dogs digestive system pretty much destroys anything and everything. Their digestive juices contain not just hydrochloric acid, but many enzymes. Nothing that comes out the other end will be viable. Sorry!
Jacki