Category: Propagation

Friday’s seeds: Comptonia

If you are looking for a shrub with a distinct foliage spring to late fall, think about adding a sweet one – Comptonia peregrina, sweet fern.
Although this native shrub is sometimes commercially available, it has remained underused despite its many qualities. It may be one of those cases when you have to see it first to understand its beauty.

The Sweet fern is a deciduous shrub with a mounded habit and deep green, shiny, finely serrate narrow leaves. The foliage it is very aromatic when crushed (think Myrica). In the fall it changes to superb shades of russet to golden bronze! The flowers are small, inconspicuous and wind-pollinated. The fruit is an ovoid nut enclosed in a burr-like cluster of elongated bracts.

Sweet fern is a pioneer species, growing on dry, sandy, gravelly soils, pine barrens, woods edges, from Northeastern US to Central & Eastern Canada. It is a nitrogen fixing plant that will form rhizomatous colonies. The French common name, Comptonie voyageuse, alludes to the character.

For all these reasons it is an excellent choice not only for xeric gardens but also for other difficult sites, sandy soils, erosion control, naturalistic plantings, to mention just a few possibilities. Indigenous People have also used it for ceremonial, medicinal and food purposes (foliage and the fruits).

The easiest propagation method for the sweet fern is through cuttings from the rhizomes and division. With the genetic variability in mind, we should also grow it from seeds.

The Friday’s seeds segment; or is it a fruit?

Sweet fern fruits aspect in late summer: nuts enclosed in a burr-like cluster of elongated bracts.

Like in many other cases, for Comptonia peregrina we usually call ‘seeds’ the fruits, which I already mentioned, are ovoid nuts. They fall to the ground when ripe and one study found that they have a very long longevity in the soil: up to 70 years! (Del Tredici). Apparently the germination is difficult, if it is to believe what others are saying.

Let’s keep in mind that we will sow the whole fruits not the seeds per se (like for most nuts). All nuts have hard or thick fruit walls and may require mechanical treatments before sowing.
Also, an inhibitor in the seed coat of Comptonia, possibly abscisic acid, it is believed to be responsible for the dormancy.

All in all, these point to a combination of physical and physiological dormancy.

The highest percentage of germination was found in a study with the following treatments: scarification (using the HWT) + GA3 500 ppm.
There is agreement that “most buried seeds still require exposure to strong daily temperature fluctuations before they germinate”.

We can translate all the above as: scarify the seeds (sandpaper), sow in the fall and keep the pots outdoors over the winter. Let the nature work for you (in a cold climate it works better than GA3 treatments).

I just scarified a few nuts to test the germination on a small sample. I’ll share a trick for doing it right. Use 120 grit sandpaper and start slowly. Crack open a nut (it happened naturally in this case) to see how thick the fruit wall is. We can also observe the position of the seed inside the nut (green arrows) and scarify just the end where the seed is attached.

Comptonia peregrina nuts

Comptonia peregrina scarified nuts

Comptonia peregrina moist scarified nuts

Keep the scarified nuts in moist paper for 1-2 days (or more) to see if the scarification was successful, and sow them in a pot after that. In a cold climate, there is no problem with providing a good cold/moist stratification outdoors over the winter.

October 16, 2026

The best Gentiana

Propagation

Gentiana paradoxa at the end of September (with the first mature capsules)

A few days ago I snapped one more picture with Gentiana paradoxa (from the Marvelous gentiana group). With a few last flowers, the green calyces and the capsules hidden inside the faded flowers, it was still beautiful in the afternoon sun.

Hard to say by the look of it, but I was collecting the first mature capsules!

This Gentiana paradoxa is always flowering gradually (starting in the first week of August), due to the fact that I planted initially a few young seedlings together.
Most beautiful and with a flowering that seems to go on and on….Simply the best.

I would like to share that a 3 years old plant raised from seeds flowered for the first time this summer. Another one, from the same generation, and planted close by, it didn’t; next year for sure 😊 No two seedlings are the same, and the most vigorous will usually flower faster.

*The seeds will be made available after all capsules are collected.

From the shaded side, the best gentiana is Gentiana asclepiadea, also in full bloom around mid August like Gentiana paradoxa. It was also planted as few seedlings together, hence the mix of colors.

*These are among the best Gentiana species that were grown from seeds and adapted well to my garden conditions (same like G. septemfida and G. dahurica).

October 2, 2026

On new sedges

Friday's Seed(s), Propagation

Carex eburnea, bristle-leaved sedge in habitat

Good news for those interested in sedges! They can expand their collection; good chance made to be at the right place & time in order to collect two fine species this fall. For a third one, the ‘fruits’ were collected from the garden.

Carex eburnea, the Bristle-leaved sedge is one my favourite sedge.

Clumps with very fine leaves (1 mm), that will shimmer and sway gently in the wind in a part-shade to shaded location. A dream! It grows from very short rhizomes, so in time it can form very nice compact carpets.
In the fall, if the flowering went well, it will show black, shiny perigynia*.

I am lucky to also be able to grow it in my garden. It prefers a calcareous substrate and seems to be quite tolerant to drought (not great flowering though and it increases very slow).
I had a few seeds last fall and sowed them for myself. The germination was very prompt in the spring (like for most Carex species I tried: image at the end of the post).

Carex aurea, Golden-fruited sedge, in habitat

Carex aurea, the Golden-fruited sedge, is another native sedge with very thin leaves, an inhabitant of moist forests, wet ledges, fens and other moist locations.

It can pass unobserved until fall when the almost round, golden perigynia* (what we call fruits) attract your attention (and help with the ID 😊.

This species also prefers a calcareous substrate (sorry those with acidic gardens) and needs more moisture than Carex eburnea to grow well.

To the opposite of these ‘fine’ species sits Carex plantaginea. The seeds were collected in the garden. It is already listed and was noticed by the garden enthusiasts, so do not wait too long.

Carex plantaginea in the garden, shown with Vancouveria hexandra foliage.

Broad, ribbon-like leaves with a bluish tint, make for a superb addition to any garden and combines very well with finer textures. It adapts well in culture and tolerates quite enough sun, as it seems.

And, because it is also a Friday’s seeds, a bit more details.

Like in many other cases, for sedges we do not sow the seeds per se.

***In Carex the female flowers are enclosed in a structures of various shapes (sac, bottle, tube-like…) called perigynium (subtended by a single bract). Later, the fruits (achenes) remain surrounded by this perigynium (plural: perigynia).

It is a very important character used for identification of Carex species.

Carex eburnea perigynia

Carex eburnea seedlings

Carex aurea perigynia (2)

Carex plantaginea perigynia

Carex grayi perigynia and achenes

Carex muskingumensis perigynia

We gardeners refer to these structures as fruits, or seeds. Sometimes we sow them whole (in case of species with small or flat perigynia), or sometimes we will sow the fruits (achenes), like for example in Carex grayi which has very large perigynia, which are usually removed.

September 25, 2026

Moist packed seeds

Propagation, Wildflowers of North America

Clintonia borealis and Cornus canadensis seeds were just added to the SEED LIST and it is time to get started with the fall sowing!

Like always, the emphasis right now is on the moist packed seeds and all other species that benefit from an early fall sowing (Daphne, Paeonia, Helleborus, Actaea, Ilex, Cornus, Hydrophyllum, Euonymus…).

And also like always, we remain committed to the “No DODs” for all species with hydrophilic seeds.

All species with hydrophilic seeds will be kept in the top tab of the SEED LIST throughout the fall for better visibility and easy links.

We prefer orders with these species for now, although of course, they can be combined with any other available species. However, large orders for only dry seeds will be processed last.

Thank you all! To the seeds and sowing!

Podophyllum peltatum flower

Medeola virginiana flower

Clintonia borealis (Blue beads) fruits

Caulophyllum thalictroides

Uvularia grandiflora flower close up

Trillium grandiflorum

Trillium cuneatum, Sweet Betsy

Hydrastis canadensis flowers

Trillium erectum

* The terms for ordering/shipping remain as outlined. Please look for various species starting from the SEED LIST for all announcements.
**A few species are still in the cleaning stage and the seeds are kept in bulk and individually packed for orders; the inventory will be ‘fluid’ for a while.

September 4, 2026

Nature’s bounty

Propagation

Fresh fruits of Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit) and Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

The best time of the year has arrived; colorful fruits are mixing together with new flowers for a most beautiful display!

Seeds-wise, the message is that the collecting of the fruits/seeds is always extending into November, weather permitting. However, a nice flowering in late August doesn’t always translate into seeds in our climate; we can only hope.

The early fall Seed List will be completed by the end of next week (September 4th), with hopefully a few more species and all collected moist packed seeds available.
Prepare your wish list, sowing mix and pots!

August 31, 2026

Hard to resist

Propagation

Seeds of most peonies species have been collected and are in stock right now. Maybe more will arrive from other peonies lovers later, but there are enough seeds for those who want to start a peony collection.
The beautiful display of bluish seeds and the red appendages (unfertilized ovules), is always hard to resist. I like to keep them on display as long as possible (plus that the seeds need to dry out).

The peonies seeds are among the best “candies for the eyes and soul”.

Paeonia peregrina which is always the last to flower in June, may bring a nice surprise this year, but until the capsules open, we can’t be sure. Sometimes large fruits develop with no good seeds inside.

With the exception of Paeonia tenuifolia, all species require a late summer sowing (warm/cold stratification cycles).

*A reminder that, even if some of the species offered were grown from wild collected seeds, they are now garden cultivated and so hybridization is possible, especially for those that flower at the same time.

***The latest collected ‘candies’ from the moist packed category: Trillium cuneatum (all moist packed seeds available in September).

August 14, 2026

It’s starting

Propagation

Slowly and a bit delayed by the cold spring, fruits of various spring-flowering species are approaching maturity. Paeonia anomala ssp. veitchii, P. officinalis and Paeonia mascula capsules opened last week; their seeds are posted in the inventory.
A few others like Paeonia japonica and P. mlokosewitchii should follow shortly.

Hydrastis canadensis with fruits starting to mature

The same can be said about Trilliums, Uvularia grandiflora, Clintonia borealis and Hydrastis canadensis. For some species, coloring/maturation of the fruits is gradual, which results in an incremental harvesting. This is followed by cleaning, figuring out the total seeds available, and moist packing.

This process takes more time than when collecting dry fruits/seeds and makes for a busier than usual period.

I am glad to see that more and more people got the message about the benefits of summer sowing. All orders are greatly appreciated!
However, during the month of August, the regular guaranteed shipping time for the orders (indicated in the shipping page) will not apply. Unless you are willing to wait longer to receive your seeds, please postpone ordering until the end of the month/early September.

The majority of seeds that require moist-packing collected from now on will be posted in the inventory towards the end of August. The Shop will truly re-open somewhere at the beginning of September – it will be announced.

At the same time, a few mid to late summer species are flowering, most notably among the native ones, Ipomopsis rubra and Delphinium exaltatum, both held in high esteem by the hummingbirds and other long-tongue pollinators. These images are from previous years but Lobelia siphilitica is also just about to start flowering.

* During the month of August the regular guaranteed shipping time for the orders will not apply *
Thank you for your understanding!

July 31, 2026

Gravitropism

Propagation

Many thanks to all customers who are purchasing various seeds that germinate best when sown outdoors in the summer!
There are still various species available, including the newly added Aconitum septentrionalis ‘Ivorine’ – the SEEDs LIST

Today, about Clintonia borealis, the Blue bead lily, germination

One can find various stories about this subject on the wide net. I just wanted to clarify it, and also hoping that the AI learns the lesson 😉

Clintonia borealis mass germination in cold/moist storage

Very brief: Clintonia borealis seeds cleaned and kept right away in moist media, first at the ambient temperature (to mimic the fall towards the winter temperature), then at cold (winter) will germinate freely. This holds true for many other North American species with hydrophilic seeds.

Translation: sow the seeds right away (fall) outdoors; or keep them in moist media and follow the described cycles (slightly warm, then cold). If it is not cold enough in your region, or in case of a short winter, the seeds may need one more cold cycle for germination.

Also, the germination will start in the fridge (at cold), in case of indoor stratified seeds, which is always good to know. If you follow this path, keep an eye on them and sow right away.

The story the long way

Last fall I collected a bit too many Clintonia borealis seeds. It was very hard to abstain from picking the blue, juicy fruits from a large, healthy population.
I provided very generous seed packets in the fall but still lots remained, especially with the early winter arrival.

The collection was done in early September. As per usual, the cleaned seeds were kept in moist vermiculite, first at room temperature, then in early winter in the garage (the cold cycle). The winter was very cold and long, followed by a similar spring.

Clintonia borealis seedlings

When the temperatures started to slowly raise in late spring, I placed the remaining Clintonia seeds in the fridge, hoping they will hold on the germination until fall. Not all species will initiate the germination at cold.

I was wrong. The first timid signs of germination were visible in late May/June, but I was too busy at the time, and unfortunately they grew a bit too much, with also the cotyledon leaf expanded by the time I sown them.

I placed the germinated seeds on top of the sowing mix as they were and covered with a thin layer. It would have take too much time to point all the radicles down.
I hoped that the natural root growing direction will prevail and for most it did (gravitropism).
In any case, it is not good to let the seeds germinate up to this stage in moist media! The seedlings will develop poorly.

I also had the chance one year to sow fresh seeds of Clintonia uniflora and the pattern was similar.

July 17, 2026

Still waiting

Propagation

We had to postpone the tradition of offering a summer seeds sale around Canada Day. A very long winter and colder than usual spring have resulted in delayed maturation for many species, or no seeds at all for some (Pachyphragma and Cardamine).
Do not despair, the new wave of fresh seeds will be available at some point next week – to be announced.

For all spring flowering species, the seeds will be available in smaller quantities than usual; the wild ginger, Stylophorum diphyllum, Jeffersonia and the newly added Thalictrum thalictroides may not last till late fall. Caulophyllum thalictroides seeds (already with 1 year stratification done) are also available.

Until then, think what you can add to your wish list in order to maximize the shipping cost – SEED List
Suggestions: Helleborus – the seeds can be sown until late summer/early fall, but please keep in mind that the Seeds shop will close at some point and re-open only in late August-early September. In the same idea, it would be best to purchase and sow the Paeonia seeds that are still in stock. Also Viburnum, Aralia, Actaea, Euonymus, Smilax…

Newly collected seeds that were ‘out of stock’ are also being added to the inventory (for example Viola canadensis, Mitella diphylla).

Until then, speaking native species, among others we can admire Solidago simplex var. ontarioensis, Campanula rotundifolia (Kill.). Once has started to bloom Campanula rotundifolia will do so the whole summer and early fall! A most wonderful native plant that shouldn’t miss from any garden.
If you are growing Cirsium edule var. macounii, it is the perfect plant to watch the green sweat bee at work (Agapostemon virescens, apparently Toronto’s ‘Official Bee’). Flowering just in time to provide the much needed pollen, after Cirsium hookerianum (in the featured image) provided the same service.

Campanula rotundifolia (Kill.)

Cirsium edule var. macounii

Solidago simplex var. ontarioensis

July 3, 2026

Growing small trees from seeds

Propagation

Hop tree (Ptelea trifoliata) in flower (male). A small, dioecious tree from the Rutaceae family (Citrus), designated as a threatened species in Canada given the low number of individuals and the threats to its habitat. All plant parts are aromatic and the flowers attracts many species of pollinators; larval host for the Giant Swallowtail and Easter Tiger Swallowtail. It is known that some male trees may produce a few perfect flowers (meaning fruits), so I’ll keep an eye on it.

Ptelea trifoliata, the Hop tree, has flowered beautifully this year in the garden. It was grown from seeds and planted very young in a neglected corner of the garden (I didn’t give it much chance for survival).

This made me think how many times we grow some plant from seeds without thinking much about it, only to have them growing and flowering beautifully after a few years. Gardening in a relatively small city garden usually it means not much space available for new trees, when older ones are already present.

Of course, common sense doesn’t always apply to those obsessed with seeds. From the ‘let’s see how the germination goes’ to ‘precious seeds’, I grew quite a few small trees from seeds over the years. Some are still with me, while others were gifted at a young stage.

A small inventory for the small trees/large shrubs grown from seeds over the years (not counting Clematis species, Dioscorea, Daphne mezereum and a couple of Rosa species).

Calycanthus floridus (Carolina allspice), Ptelea trifoliata, Lindera benzoin and Staphylea pinnata (European Bladdernut) from the category : ‘let’s test the germination’.

Acer pseudosieboldianum, Acanthopanax, Magnolia salicifolia, Sorbus koehneana and Chamaemespilus alpina from the ‘unusual species – must sow them’.

Time goes by very fast and depending how well they grow, in 5-6 years some species can start showing the first flowers. The European Bladdernut and the Hop tree are flowering on a regular base now.

Sorbus koehneana, a Chinese rowan with white fruits and beautiful reddish bronze foliage in the fall.

Sorbus koehneana has flowered for the first time this year and I’m looking forward to the colourful fruits (grown in a container).
Magnolia salicifolia is putting up a very nice growth this year, even if it doesn’t have a suitable location yet.

The reason I am writing this post is because most people shy away from growing shrubs and trees from seeds. In fact, it is not more difficult than growing perennial plants.
The only difference is that you should think carefully if you have the suitable planting spots for the youngsters. It means planning a bit more in advance, which I admit it is not easy.

Or do like I did and just grow them 😊 Containers, friends with more garden space, a forgotten garden corner, older trees that need removing at some point…; there are many options for giving them a chance to grow and flower.
It is the only way to obtain species that are not readily available in the regular garden centers.

June 19, 2026

June updates

Propagation, Wildflowers of North America

Jeffersonia dubia

Many thanks to all who participated in the Hepatica seeds sale!
Follow the instructions, sow the seeds when they arrive, and be patient. In a few years you will be rewarded with charming, colorful spring beauties!

In the near future, we expect a few other species with ‘best germination when sown fresh’ during early summer to be available.
Considering the current heat wave, and by the look of the fruits, it is most likely that we’ll have all such species (many of them natives), offered in a single wave this year: Jeffersonia, Asarum canadense, Stylophorum diphyllum, Sanguinaria….and so on.

As always, the seeds will be announced beforehand.

June is by definition Dianthus flowering month. Most of them have fragrant flowers and are great companions for all other garden plants. Is there a need to repeat that they are easily grown from seeds? Only two from my favourites; I prefer the wild forms over the countless cultivars available on the market.

Talking native species, the Golden Alexander, Zizia aurea, is flowering right now, filling the gap between the natives early spring and late summer bloomers.
It is an excellent pollinator friendly plant for short-tongued insects, doing well in a variety of locations, from full sun to part-shade. Serendipity made it for a tall blue Aquilegia to flower close to one of them; blue and yellow is a great combination in the garden.

I like it so much that last fall I also sowed the Heart-leaf Golden Alexander or meadow Zizia (Zizia aptera). The more the better 😊 The meadow Zizia it is supposedly more tolerant of soil dryness compared to Zizia aurea.

From the tall and beautiful category, Gladiolus caucasicus and Salvia nutans deserve a special mention this year.

And of course, Paeonia peregrina (in the featured image) was right on time to lead the June blooming in the garden (do not forget to sow your peonies seeds during the summer time).

June 12, 2026

Seedlings update

Propagation

Various Roscoea species (Hardy gingers) seedlings just about to go dormant after +/- 3 months of growth.

This post was prepared for late May, it is June already :) so a change of title and we’ll have it today. A note about Hepatica seeds following tomorrow…

The Roscoea (hardy gingers) seedlings (sown indoors in the first week of February) are getting close to their end of the season – which is always very short!
So, I took a ‘not very nice picture’ to reassure all those who have also sown Roscoea seeds that it is perfectly normal for the seedlings to look this way.

I emphasized before that in the first year the seedlings of hardy gingers will only grow for about 3 months and then become dormant: Growing Roscoea from seeds.

The first sign is that the leaves gradually start to wither. In this phase the watering needs to be greatly reduced.
After all the leaves have vanished, stop the watering and keep the pots in a dry (preferably cool place, otherwise the pots will dry out excessively). In the fall, replant the small tubers in larger pots so they can have yet another short and hopefully successful growing season!

Diphylleia cymosa (American Umbrella plant) seedlings – cotyledon leaves stage, May 2026.

Second item – we are following the germination and growth of Diphylleia cymosa (American Umbrella plant), a new species added to our Shop last year thanks to friendly seeds donations.

At the end of May, the seedlings are looking the same as they were in April – at the cotyledon leaves stage, as expected.

Once again, the majority of rhizomatous species will develop only cotyledon leaves in the first season, directing all the energy towards the root system.

These cotyledon leaves will most probably wither and the seedlings become dormant at some point, just like in the case of Podophyllum, Glaucidium and Roscoea. When that happens, stop watering and keep the sowing pot from drying out completely.

Small pots with dormant seedlings (and ungerminated pots) can be stored over the summer-fall in boxes, as described in: Cold stratification: part 4, springtime.

Also, from the category of species that require a cold/moist stratification in order to germinate well:

Taenidia integerrima (Yellow pimpernel) seedlings sown ‘in situ’ in the fall are looking very well and of course not-like the mother plant. In most cases, the true leaves of seedlings from the Apiaceae family (carrot) do not look similar to those of the species in the first season. Do not worry, your label is correct. By next year, the foliage will show the true to species characters (the same applies for Zizia aurea seedlings).

Last fall I also sowed a few older seeds of the native Dioscorea villosa (Wild yam). They started to germinate last week.
Dioscorea species are always late germinators; from my experience among the last ones to germinate in our climate (in SW Ontario) usually towards late May. Keep an eye on your pots but, most likely no other species sown in the fall/winter will germinate from now on if they haven’t already.

There will always be ungerminated pots of various species by late spring, for various reasons (one of them being sowing species that require cold/moist stratification too late in the winter instead of sowing in late fall). It is a good idea to keep your sowing pots for at least another year.
Another reason why purchasing a couple of plastic boxes is a good investment, seeds and sowing wise 😊

Castilleja seedlings (mix of species) sown in late fall, outdoors.

Last but not least, in the featured image: a close-up of very small Castilleja seedlings (Indian paintbrush).

In late fall I threw in a larger container all left-overs/older Castilleja seeds I had. The container remained outdoors all winter long, most time under a thick layer of snow. From this point of view, the very cold and snowy past winter has been a blessing for all species requiring a cold stratification.

As previously discussed, usually germination is not a problem for Castilleja species when sown outdoors; what’s happening with the seedlings afterwards – it is another story. I just planted out some of the seedlings (in chunks) close to Sisyrinchium mucronatum and Symphyotrichum laeve. Fingers crossed…

June 4, 2026