The Tree Seed Centre is a registered facility for the supply of source-identified and tested seed — for both exotic and indigenous tree species. Tree improvement in Zimbabwe has been ongoing for over 40 years and is recognised among the best globally.
What we help our clients with
Beyond supplying seed, our team offers the technical guidance that turns seed into successful plantations.
Seed Handling
Best practice from receipt to sowing — storage, moisture and viability protection.
Germination Techniques
Proven methods for healthy, uniform emergence across species.
Pre-treatment & Dormancy
Scarification, stratification and dormancy-breaking methods that unlock germination.
Species Selection
Right tree, right place — matched to soil, rainfall and the target end-product.
Generational gains in Pinus patula
A focused breeding programme — mainly pines and eucalypts — for poles, timber, pulp and afforestation. The results, generation by generation:
Zimbabwean seed, exported worldwide
Seed collections come from genetically improved trees (mostly pines and eucalypts) and from selected wild populations. Today we supply seven export destinations across three continents.
Four things every buyer should know
Seed Quality
Source-identified, tested and certified — backed by full provenance records.
Conditions of Sale
Transparent pricing, lot documentation, and clear delivery terms for every order.
Shipment
Carefully packed for international transit with germination-protective materials.
Effective Germination Factor
Calculate the number of viable seedlings you’ll get — before you place the order.
Effective Germination Factor (EGF)
Use the EGF formula to estimate how many viable seedlings you’ll get from a given seed lot — before placing the order. Different formulas apply to pines and eucalypts.
Standard seedling recovery per kg
Reference values for the most commonly traded commercial species — use as the a term in the EGF formula above.
Order more than you need — here’s the standard buffer
Add these allowances to your raw seedling requirement to cover nursery losses and blanking.
Seed species data
The complete reference table for all species the Centre handles — family classification and seeds per gram.
| Species | Family | Seeds / Gram |
|---|---|---|
| Eucalyptus botryoides | Myrtaceae | 2,200 |
| Eucalyptus camaldulensis | Myrtaceae | 3,466 |
| Eucalyptus cinerea | Myrtaceae | 2,224 |
| Eucalyptus citriodora | Myrtaceae | 193 |
| Eucalyptus cloeziana | Myrtaceae | 1,820 |
| Eucalyptus ficifolia | Myrtaceae | 30 |
| Eucalyptus grandis | Myrtaceae | 2,530 |
| Eucalyptus maculata | Myrtaceae | 188 |
| Eucalyptus microcorys | Myrtaceae | 1,880 |
| Eucalyptus nitens | Myrtaceae | 1,473 |
| Eucalyptus paniculata | Myrtaceae | 2,494 |
| Eucalyptus pilularis | Myrtaceae | 750 |
| Eucalyptus resinifera | Myrtaceae | 2,050 |
| Eucalyptus saligna | Myrtaceae | 2,478 |
| Eucalyptus teriticornis | Myrtaceae | 2,860 |
| Eucalyptus torelliana | Myrtaceae | 588 |
| Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis | Pinaceae | 52 |
| Pinus caribaea var. caribaea | Pinaceae | 52 |
| Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis | Pinaceae | 52 |
| Pinus elliotii | Pinaceae | 30 |
| Pinus kesiya | Pinaceae | 55 |
| Pinus maximinoi | Pinaceae | 64 |
| Pinus oocarpa | Pinaceae | 55 |
| Pinus patula | Pinaceae | 110 |
| Pinus pseudostrobus | Pinaceae | 51 |
| Pinus taeda | Pinaceae | 41 |
| Pinus tecunumannii | Pinaceae | 65 |