Friday’s seeds – soak, cut & nick

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A timely post; these methods may come in handy for all those sowing or preparing to sow at this time of year.
They are not mandatory, one can just sow and be patient; any viable seeds will germinate when the time is right for them.

The purpose of these methods can vary: to check on the status of seeds/embryo, soften the seed/fruit teguments, improve and/or speed up the germination. They can be used for medium to large size seeds but not practical for small and tiny seeds.

Let’s remember first that in order to survive in a dry state over extended periods of unfavorable conditions, all seeds are equipped with +/- impermeable seed coats. Without going into a review of seeds dormancy types, in all cases, the first thing necessary for the ‘awakening’ process, is water absorption/imbibition.
Some seeds can absorb water fast when available, and if also the temperature is optimal, they germinate rapidly; in other cases, this process can take longer, up to many years in fact.

SOAKING

Soaking the seeds in water over various periods of time mimics the natural conditions they would encounter in the fall or spring when the soil moisture is abundant. It is recommended to daily change the water.
Soaking can be done for various purposes: just to hydrate the seeds/fruit teguments or for further exploration; also, it is much easier to proceed with the cutting or nicking after seed coats are soften a bit.

To speed up the water imbibition and thus the processes that initiate the germination.

Also, soaking the seeds for a couple of days will allow for a better absorption of GA3.

As recently shown, in case of Ephedra distachya, simply soaking the seeds triggered their germination (thin seed coats, warm germinator).

For seeds with impermeable coats, just soaking won’t suffice, of course and it needs to be combined with other treatments, like nicking or scarification for example (about scarification next time).

Ruscus colchicus seeds: slighly scarified and soaked for few days; dry seeds to the right. Notice that the seeds have enlarged 2-3 times in size in a very short period of time

CUTTING (SECTIONS)

This is an exploratory method done to visually inspect the status of the insides of seeds/fruits. It allows a quick assessment of the viability/status of the embryo.
The cutting can be done transversal or longitudinal, it depends on the purpose and type of seed/fruit. In all cases it should reveal a whitish/yellowish inside, usually the endosperm in which the embryo is embedded, like shown in the pictures below (in case of immature embryos, they cannot be observed unless using a microscope).
In the case of exalbuminate seeds (no endosperm), the cut will just go through the embryo itself.

Lindera benzoin, sectioned seed

For Caulophyllum species it is an useful method to monitor the embryo development (on seeds kept in moist storage!).

Notice the growth of the embryo over time, in the second year it resemble a small grub :)

In some cases the cut through fruits/seeds can reveal that they are sterile/empty. For species known to have pollination/fertilization problems it is always good to test a small batch of seeds/fruits. Acer triflorum and Franklinia alatamaha case studies are shown below.

Cutting also allows a quick inspection of the thickness of seed coats/fruit wall and provides hints for further treatments. See the case of Triosteum aurantiacum, where the very thick fruit tegument suggests further action in order to allow the water imbibition (scarification).

The very thick/hard fruit wall explains why the seeds would need few years to germinate in natural conditions; by scarifiying as much as possible the fruit wall to allow water penetration to the seed, will speed up the germination


A special method of cutting the seeds can be used to speed up germination for aril Irises. It involves cutting a thin piece from the micropilar end of the seed.
The method is explained in detail HERE. I am currently trying it on a small batch of Iris suaveolens BDob.17 (offered in 2917) and the results are promising!

Iris suaveolens BDob17 – germination start 1 week after the seeds cut (as described in the method above)

NICKING

It involves nicking or chipping of a small area of the seed coat. It is easily done on large seeds with impermeable seed coats.

However, impermeable doesn’t necessarily means thick, and nicking always needs to be done with care.
You would be surprised for example how thin is the seed coat of lotus seeds (Nelumbo species)!
And remember, these are seeds that can maintain their viability for thousands of years!

If a small part of the endosperm/cotyledons is nicked accidentally, it is usually OK.

 

To be continued…’tis the sowing season!

 

 

 

Friday’s Seeds, and flowers – the bean family

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About Fabaceae (i.e. Leguminosae) this Friday: seeds and not only. This is a gigantic family with many species of agricultural and ornamental importance. But we can have a glimpse at various seeds/fruits, ponder at their diversity and remember some of the plants and their flowers.
The page is published and those interested can found it on the Seeds Library menu Here

Being such a cold winter day I will help with remembering few flowers :)
Hover with the mouse over images to see the names.

From the practical point of view I am sure many know that seeds from this family will germinate better/faster after scarification or treatment with hot water.

First Fridays Seeds 2019

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Best wishes to all readers for successful plant growing and beautiful gardens in 2019!

For today, a germinating seed of Paeonia wendelboi – a bridge between the past year and the present one.

Paeonia wendelboi germinating seed (at warm); the root appeared in winter 2018 (it was very tiny but nothing escapes my magnifying glass, or so I like to think). The shoot will start to grow only after a cold period, the way it goes with most peonies.

And a message, seeds speaking generally:

Do not forget  that this is the perfect time for sowing species which require cold/moist stratification!
If done too late, especially in the case of a mild winter, the cold period won’t suffice and the seeds will need one more cold cycle to germinate.

I would like to draw your attention especially to a few moist packed seeds.
Beside the fact that for a very good price you can get seeds which will most likely germinate, by comparison with sowing them dry, some, like Aconitum spp. , may be an one time offer. Others, like Thalictrum thalictroides, which require more driving to the collection site, will be offered only on alternate years.

Even with the garden collected seeds, it can happen to miss the seeds of species like Saruma henryi.
Thus, it is always best to get these kind of seeds when available.

You can easily find them all by browsing the Moist packed Seeds and Corydalis Seeds categories.

Belated Fridays Seeds: Paeonia brownii

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I forgot about the Fridays Seeds :o
In my defense, I was trying to finish the first batch of winter sowings, before other/new seeds arrive. Being end of the month I also had to check all the remaining moist packed seeds, kept at cold or warm.

A leisurely Saturday is a good occasion to show the seeds of Paeonia brownii.
I didn’t show them before because all seeds that arrived were presold and none of them made it to the online shop inventory. With more requests left unsatisfied I didn’t want to aggravate the situation.

Paeonia brownii is one of the only two North American peony species and it has different seeds than the ones we are more used seeing. I would call it the Cinderella of the peonies (seeds wise) because they are nothing but attractive, especially when dry: brownish and large with an irregular shape.

In the rush of the moment I even missed to take pictures of the dry seeds; the ones shown here are already in moist packing since late October (kept at warm).

Paeonia brownii seeds: kept in moist storage since late October. Moist seeds should not be left to dry out at any moment, hence only a quick picture with the seeds on moist towel ;)

Those interested can read more and see pictures of this intriguing peony species HERE.

Starting notes on Aconitum germination – 2018

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Yesterday I sowed the first Aconitum seeds of the season! – a good occasion to also publish this post, drafted since late spring.

Aconitum is a large genus with many beautiful species, usually growing in mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere, popularly known as wolf’s banes or monkshoods. Many know that they are toxic/medicinal species, but more than that they are highly valued as garden plants.

Like many other species from fam. Ranunculaceae they can prove difficult to germinate from dry stored seeds. Most often it is not possible to moist pack the seeds right away; some collectors are not aware of the requirement or they are unwilling to do it because it is too tedious.

Experienced growers from all over the world will confirm the fact that dry kept seeds of various Aconitum species will generally germinate poorly/germinate in the second year after sowing, or in many cases will never germinate.

My intention is to compile a list for Aconitum species showing their germination pattern when using fresh, moist packed or dry seeds. Knowing which species retain good germination capacity even after their seeds are kept dry for a given amount of time would be very useful.

Generally speaking, we know for sure few facts about Aconitum seeds/germination:
– at the time of seed collecting the embryos are underdeveloped
– the germination can’t occur until the embryos reach a certain size, usually after a period of cold/moist stratification.
– GA3 treatment can promote embryo growth for some species, and thus can be useful in combination with the cold/moist period.

The list below was compiled from my own data and supplied by others on the Scottish Rock Garden Forum, where you can also find a thread open on this subject. Feel free to contribute.

 

And few pictures with various Aconitum species that germinated this spring (2018), in the second year after sowing (dry seeds, GA3 treatment), seedlings, new seeds and the new batch of Aconitum sowings!

Few Aconitum species  will be available late next week!

 

Friday’s Seeds – Callirhoe and the mericarps

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I always strive to make sure the quality of seeds at BotanyCa is top notch. When a few seeds remain available for a given species, it becomes even more an important issue. Such was the case for Callirhoe digitata (Fam. Malvaceae) yesterday.

What we usually call seeds are actually mericarps, parts of a dry fruit called schizocarp; they contain 1 seed each. However, some mericarps can be empty or contain a malformed seed; not too many were left, so a closer look was necessary.

I would like to emphasize that for the purpose of sowing it’s not necessary to extract the seeds from the mericarps.
Reason I did this: to make sure how many good seeds are still available and, to take & show pictures with the actual seeds.

Callirhoe digitata (Fringed poppy mallow, standing wine cup) – mericarps and seeds

Another similar species, seeds wise, is Iliamna rivularis – Streambank wild hollyhock.
In this case each mericarp contains 2-3(4) seeds, shown below.

Iliamna rivularis seeds

Iliamna rivularis flowers

 

The return to Bukiniczia

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With the help of a new magnifier lamp (a super dark November had something to do with this), I went slowly through all the Bukiniczia calyces (which are usually called ‘seeds’: read Next please – Bukiniczia cabulica).
I did not count precisely but I can tell that +/-20% of them presented seeds. This percentage may of course be different for other clones.

You can find the seeds in the shop now – Bukiniczia cabulica
This is how Bukiniczia SEEDS look like:

Bukiniczia cabulica seeds

*A reminder that products in The Seeds List can display out of stock temporarily until the inventory is replenished.

**When you receive whole calyces as ‘seeds’ for Bukiniczia, Armeria, Limonium, Acantholimon (and possibly others from Plumbaginaceae), check to see if there are actually any seeds before sowing.

Friday’s Seeds – the Turtleheads

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I am pleased to have seeds of two North American turtleheads this year: Chelone glabra and Chelone obliqua.

Both species grow best in moist locations in full sun to part shade and are valuable for their late flowering in August-September; bumblebees can’t have enough of their flowers.

The flowers shape reminds of a turtlehead, reason for their Latin and common name: Chelone = turtle in Greek. Tournefort described Chelone glabra as “Chelone Acadiense, flore albo” (Acadia being the name of Nova Scotia, Canada at the time, around 1700).

I remember reading somewhere that Rafinesque was indignant of the chosen name, arguing that the flowers are not reptiles :) He tried to change it to Chlonanthes but it didn’t work of course. Especially the flower buds do really look like a turtlehead!

But I diverge, here are the seeds. They are very similar, as expected; brown to light tan with a surrounding wing.

Chelone obliqua, Pink turtlehead (Fam. Plantaginaceae) capsule and seeds

and

Chelone glabra, White turtlehead seeds

Friday’s Seeds – Anemone caroliniana

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Magic mirror on the wall,
Who is the wooliest one of all?

Anemone caroliniana seeds

Like many other Anemone, this species is easy to grow from seeds and a nice addition for the rock garden/other relatively dry locations.
Those who don’t want/like to grow from seeds can try and visit next year Fuller Natives & Rare Plants in Belleville; many NA ‘native delights’ are awaiting every season for discerning gardeners.

Find it in the shop

 

Friday’s Seeds – Fernleaf peony

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A late but timely arrival of the fernleaf peony seeds – Paeonia tenuifolia. It is a most beautiful peony for dry, sunny areas, I don’t really think is necessary to praise more its qualities; fairly expensive to buy even as a small plant.

As an exception to the regular germination pattern of other peonies (delayed hypogeal, warm-cold); Paeonia tenuifolia germinates after cold/moist stratification, i.e. sowing in late fall/early winter; in the spring, roots and shoots appear at the same time. Isn’t that nice?

Paeonia tenuifolia, Fernleaf peony: spring buds, flower, 2 years-old plant and seeds

Another note: very young seedling leaves don’t usually show the same fine foliage of a mature plant (and the foliage can be ‘ferny’ in various degrees depending on the source).

Growing it from seeds is so easy and plus, you will have a few seedlings to play around with! Got a few too many myself but this is a desirable plant and easy to share ;)

 

A ‘weedy’ Roscoea?!!

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Yes, that’s how I labeled the Roscoea species from these photo for a while.

Roscoea cf. scillifolia purple; photo taken last week (Oct. 17, 2018)

It was grown from seeds which came labeled as ‘R. tibetica narrow leaves’ (seedex).
Given the arrangement of leaves it become clear it was not R. tibetica even before flowering.The flowers resemble on a superficial look but then the way the capsules are formed also differ. So, it got the label Roscoea ‘non-tibetica’.

It proved to be the fastest growing Roscoea I’ve seen and flowered in the second year; also producing seeds. It was a bit hard to believe and the label was changed from Roscoea ‘non-tibetica’ to Roscoea ‘weedy’ :-)

I planted it in the garden two years ago curious to see if it will survive. Not only it did but as seen in the picture it thrives. Last year I didn’t collect any seeds and new seedlings are now added to the initial little clump.

All floral parts were photographed and measured; using the Roscoea Monograph of Jill Cowley it was found to fit into the highly variable Roscoea scillifolia species. Until someone does more work in Roscoea taxonomy, seeds will be offered as such in the shop; cf. because there is not enough data to be 100% sure, purple – to differentiate it from the usual pink and dark- flowered forms of R. scillifolia in culture.

And because it is Friday, here are the seeds:

Roscoea cf. scillifolia purple seeds: “elliptic to triangular, shallowly lacerate”

 

Why not give a try to this ‘weedy’ Roscoea?
Admittedly it is not one of the showiest of the species, but it is hardy, easy to grow and it flowers fast. Plus, let’s not forget that “propagation means conservation” (Prof. Norman Deno)


*R. scillifolia sensu latu, it is supposed to be extinct in the wild at the present.

**Although usually considered more fancy plants, Roscoea species are not hard to germinate and grow, but it takes few years to have them flowering. Also, it is difficult to keep them alive for many years in open ground (the fleshy roots are prone to rot in wet/cold conditions).

 

 

 

Fridays seed – Acanthus hungaricus and the retinaculum

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I thought it would be interesting to present the fruit and seed of Acanthus hungaricus this Friday; after all, what’s the fun of going through a bunch of spiny, dry flowering stems without sharing? ;)

Acanthus hungaricus; mature specimen, flowering stem with capsule, seeds and the retinaculum.

The fruit of Acanthus (bear’s breeches) is a two parted capsule with an explosive opening.
The seeds inside the capsule are attached to a stalk called funicular retinacula (retinaculum or jaculator) which helps to propel them outside the capsule. This is, of course, an adaptation for seed dispersal. See the plate below.
In our climate it seems the mechanism doesn’t work to well, or it may happen in very late fall, in any case there are usually very few good seeds formed (I emphasize ‘good’).

The thing is Acanthus may lack its principal pollinator in our region; on the flowering stems I worked with, most of the capsules were empty; just few of them were bearing one seed.
It is very probable that the capsule needs to be full with seeds in order to build enough pressure inside and stimulate the retinaculum to eject them outside (just my theory…).

A mature,  flowering bear’s breeches is absolutely spectacular, like seen in the picture (alas, not in my garden). It takes a few years but I would say it’s worth the wait. Even in the happy event that you will find it at a garden center it will also be a young one.

Here’s one seedling that was planted in the ground last week; I sown 4 leftover seeds in February of this year and now I have 4 seedlings (some bigger than the others).

Acanthus hungaricus seedling; I recommend to use tall pots because they start to form robust roots at a young age.