Perth: Australian quarantine officials are 'cautiously optimistic' their trial planting of sunflower seeds taken from the MH17 crash site in war-torn Ukraine will produce sufficient quantities of seeds to distribute as mementos to families and friends of those who died in the air crash.

On receiving the seeds earlier this month, they fretted over their poor quality. But encouraged by the successful germination of a few seeds in a saucer on my kitchen windowsill in Washington, DC, they went ahead with planting.

Seeds of hope: Part of the MH17 wreckage among sunflowers in Ukraine. Credit:Kate Geraghty

In an email yesterday, Nicola Hinder, assistant secretary for Biosecurity Pathways with the Department of Agriculture, said: "I am pleased to let you know that there is cautious optimism from our end. We still have a way to go – [but] from the large number of seeds sown, we have achieved a small germination rate.

"At this point, and noting that more may pop up in the next few days, we have about 20 plants in their very early stages and I understand that we should start to see some dramatic growth in the next few weeks."