While we bid adieu to Hepatica flowers, many other spring delights are awaiting for us in the forests and as well in our gardens.
One of the most important events for all woodlanders – the flowering of Trillium grandiflorum, is starting in SW Ontario! The cool, late spring makes it to coincide with Claytonia virginica flowering (spring beauty), which usually flowers earlier in the spring.
These are some of the most wonderful moments of our brief springtime, enjoy them while they last!
Less is more when it comes to writing during May: there are seedlings to be taken care of, planting beds to be rearranged and new ones to be built.
Today I will show THE easiest method to grow plants from seeds, i.e. plant them in the ground, in an appropriate location :)
Erythronium grandiflorum seedlings, 2022. The seeds were sown in early fall last year (2021). For sowing directly in the ground it is best to sow closely so you can keep an eye on the seedlings; replant them in other locations if necessary after 3+ years.
And, the second easiest method: germinate/grow them in a pot for one season, then ‘plant’ the pot in the ground (it works great for species that need 3+ years to develop): 4 years old P. tenuifolia seedlings in the image waiting to be separated and replanted.
Paeonia tenuifolia young plants – notice the rim of the pot which was ‘planted’ in the ground in a sunny position, close to other perennials (still dormant). The plants will be separated and replanted.
Indeed, less can be more, sometimes….
A last look at few Corydalis, it’s been a wonderfully cool spring keeping them in flower longer together with a couple of their companions.
In the woods and in the garden Hepatica are flowering. There is a whole page dedicated to them: Hepatica – queens of the woodlands, and there is nothing else new I have to say. Every spring my admiration for them grows more anew!
In a blink of an eye the spring will rush over us with its myriad of gardening tasks and enjoyments; Hepatica will also start blooming :-) So, it is time for the 2022 indoor seedlings wrap up and awards presentation.
The unexpected: Androsace carnea
A whole tray with sowing pots was waiting in the garage in late December for the first snowfall before being taken outdoors. Luckily, I noticed the tiny green specks in the Androsace pot before doing so.
The cutest: Campanula alpina var. bucegiensis
I am partial toward this little bellflower from the Carpathian Mts.; maybe cuteness is also in the eye of the beholder.
The most repeated: Anthemis carpatica var. pyretriformis
I’ve tried growing this species at least four times. Easy to germinate and grow, hard to find a suitable location in the garden…I will persevere.
The most reliable: Aquilegia species
Aquilegia formosa, recently transplanted, receiving the prize for all other Aquilegia species sowed this year.
The desirable/2 years germination: Degenia velebitica
Degenia velebitica is an endemic species from Croatian mountains. The germination is problematic; please see the *note at the end of this post.
The desirable/fast germination: Phacelia sericea
After encountering the silky Phacelia flowering high in the Canadians Rockies, who wouldn’t want to grow it?
The heartbreaker: Iris dichotoma
I tried the Vesper Iris in various locations in the garden, and none were on its liking long term. Even so, it is worth the effort to grow it from seeds periodically.
Best in the annual category: Orlaya grandiflora
An easy win from only 2 annual species sowed; the white laceflower is a very handsome and pollinator friendly species.
Most aromatic: Ziziphora clinopodioides 
Best growth in ‘new species’ class: Gypsophila patrinii 
*Note: Degenia velebitica ecology germination.
I sowed the seeds last year in late summer following the findings of the article that the seeds from wild plants germinate best at high temperatures (22-31C, ie. sowing in late summer/early fall).
It didn’t work out (there was 1 seedling) maybe because the provenience of the seeds was from a cultivated plant, already adapted to different environmental conditions (the epigenetic factor). In any case, even after cold/moist stratification the percentage of germination was very low, but happy to have even just a few seedlings.
I am doing a last few sowings using the HWT (hot water treatment). As explained and shown in previous postings, the HWT applied for Fabaceae species (and not only), causes fine fissures in the seed coats and allows for water imbibition, eliminating the need for the cold/moist stratification period.
Those unfamiliar with this method can follow the links to read more about it and to see more pictures:
Continuing the sowing: in hot water; Updates to the HWT; FAQ – hot water treatment
I am trying two new Astragalus species: Astragalus detritalis, debris milkvetch, a Colorodo native, with bright purple flowers and
Astragalus detritalis seeds aspect after a second HWT; noticed the swollen seeds which need to be sown; then repeat the HWT again
Astragalus glycyphyllos, licorice milkvetch. You need to repeat the treatment 2-3+ times, especially for Astragalus species, but otherwise all is easy and some seeds may even start to germinate in the water.
And I’ll persevere, as long as I have seeds, with Oxytropis halleri. One plant flowered from my last attempt, but unfortunately vanished. It may be that our hot, humid summers are not to its liking, but it is worth trying it again. Oxytropis species are really hard to maintain in garden cultivation.
If you didn’t use the hot water method yet, give it a try. It is one of the easiest germination treatments to apply; for sure it beats sanding your fingers together with the seeds ;)
We cannot really generalize, but the majority species from Fabaceae family are easy germinators. The HWT is working well for: Astragalus, Baptisia, Hedysarum, Lupinus,
Oxytropis halleri
Oxytropis, Thermopsis. Considering how Lathyrus vernus self-sown seeds germinate in the garden, it would probably benefit as well. However, I didn’t manage to ‘break’ the Senna seeds with the HWT.
Species that would germinate at warm even without the HWT can also benefit from it to speed up the germination (Amphicarpaea).
First, an announcement about changes in the Shipping rates and destinations: Shipping and Delivery
The local shipping and handling rates have been in needed of revising since a couple of years ago. The new break-out on different rates depending on the order size aims to better reflect the time spent on packing the seeds and the materials consumed. With regret, we can no longer offer free shipping.
Germination talking, I would like to share a chance finding, which also opens a new subject of conversation regarding 
germination inhibitors contained in fleshy fruits/seeds.
A batch of Viburnum acerifolium fruits collected later in the fall had remained in a Ziploc bag awaiting cleaning. In order to avoid having them dry out to the point of being impossible to clean, I added a few drops of water in the bag. Time passed and I thought there were enough cleaned seeds of Maple leaf Viburnum for the season. The intention was to just sow the seeds from the Ziploc for myself (wanted to do it for some 2-3 years now). Busy times passed again, winter came and a few weeks ago what did I noticed in the purple mush from the Ziploc? A few roots! I placed the germinated seeds in vermiculite and in the fridge for their cold cycle required.
We know that Viburnum species do germinate at warm (roots only) and the shoots will grow after a cold period: Friday seeds and germination requirements for Viburnum species.
The surprise came from the fact that it is well known that the fleshy parts of fruits/seeds contain germination inhibitors. Something new to think about…
Seeds talking, there are still few moist packed species available. The restart of shipping was promised for February, then March…. Unfortunately, night temp. are still too low to expose ‘active’ seeds to various shipping routes. There is hope than in 1-2 weeks the weather will look more promising. The restart of moist packed seeds delivery and the available species will be announced.
Overall, there are signs that we can hope for the spring to arrive. Indoor seedlings are growing, birds are singing, and the first snowdrops are peeking up timidly from the ground.
New seedlings March 2022
There are so many interesting seeds-related subjects that sometimes it is hard to choose what to write, or the time is too short.
An email arrived yesterday saying:
“I thought I’d better drop you a line before I forget. Have been now been giving most of my north american seeds at least a week of moist and warm temps before chilling. Today, after less than a week of 65 to 70 degrees f I have 25 yellow asclepias germinated and now in cells. I have had such luck with Asclepias tuberosa that I have collected and germinated so I am not shocked but especially since these are the yellow form, I did not expect such germination.
Most impressive, Thank you, Regards Catherine”
My answer was, besides thank you and so on… that the very good germination at room temperature may be due to the ‘older’ seed lot from 2020. (Last year there were no fruits on the yellow Asclepias). Maybe others are also familiar with the knowledge that ‘older’ Asclepias seeds germinate better than fresh ones, which could be explained by the after-ripening (post-maturation) requirement.
I don’t know for sure of this is the reason; usually I recommend to sow Asclepias species in late fall/early winter because there are some which require a cold/moist stratification for good germination (A. exaltata for example). If they don’t, it doesn’t matter, they will germinate in late spring when it gets warm.
In any case, it is a good time to discuss a bit about the AR.
First, what is this after-ripening? Some define after-ripening (AR) as “a time and environment regulated process occurring in the dry seed, which determines the germination potential of seeds”.
Very simple, I would say that after-ripening is a process through which dry seeds are ‘preparing’ themselves to get out of dormancy and germinate, if and when the right conditions arrive. The AR involves the loss of water content of the seeds up to certain point which naturally happens in nature after the seeds ripen and fall on the ground/remain in the dry fruits.
Not all dry seeds species require an after-ripening period. It is known for sure that many many grasses require AR, but otherwise we do not have a comprehensive list of species that require AR. I only know about Asclepias, Polygala, and various Brassicaceae species.
AR is a complex process during which various physiological and molecular mechanisms are taking place within the dry seeds. If for some reason AR is not complete, the seeds will not germinate even if they are placed in proper condition (water, light/dark…); instead they will remain dormant (eventually they will germinate, but give them time…).
It would be impossible to approximate the exact duration for AR I guess, considering it cannot be the same for all species. Usually seeds collected in the summer and kept dry at room temperature should have enough time for after-ripening until late fall/early winter.
It has been shown that increasing the temperature at which seeds are after-ripened generally increases the rate of dormancy loss, but on the other hand, at high temperatures, the seed viability loss accelerate. So, it is a give and take if we want to manipulate AR or store the seeds long-term.
Conclusion:
Just like many seeds require to be sown right away (those recalcitrant ones), others require a ‘quiet time’ by themselves :) in a dry state, to be ready for the germination.
For gardeners and small operations, after collecting the seeds it is best to let them dry in paper bags in the house until late fall (in contrast to putting them in the fridge right away!). Exception: fleshy fruits/seeds which need to be cleaned first.
And yes, the after ripening requirement could be another reason that sometimes we stare at an ‘empty’ sowing pot wondering what went wrong.
Not one boring minute when dealing with plants and seeds :)
*I am always happy to receive good/interesting germination updates about the seeds you received. If you have bad news, it is fine as well. Maybe we can figure what went wrong together.
Sowing too much already, haven’t we? Well, there are much worse vices than this one. The indoors sowing is almost done and a few species are starting to germinate already.
I always try to test some of the new seeds additions, which I suspect by association with similar species, to be warm germinators.
And indeed, Silene turgida, Ziziphora clinopodioides and Gypsophila patrinii have germinated after about 10 days at room temperature.
Ziziphora clinopodioides seedlings
Reminder: if you try to germinate something at room temperature and nothing happens after 3-4 weeks, move the pot in a cold location for 1-2 months and then bring it back to warmth.
Also, I just sowed, as usual, a small batch of Aquilegia species with GA3 treatment (and a few others like Thalictrum petaloideum). Many Aquilegia species are short lived by nature and not always manage to reseed by themselves. But they are so easy from seeds!
Aquilegia flavescens, yellow columbine; a species not as often cultivated like A. chysantha, that can be found in the subalpine meadows of the Rocky Mountains.
Re-sowed: Aquilegia chaplinei, Chaplin’s columbine, another yellow flowered species of North America. This small, delicate species grows well in a moist location and I don’t seem to find a good place for it. Plus, it has been devoured by the columbine sawfly so I am trying for a larger population (meaning 3-4 plants).
Thinking long spurs, Aquilegia Origami white is a very good substitute for the long spurred native Aquilegia coerulea, the Colorado blue columbine.
And something blue for yet another snow day: Salvia nutans, the nodding sage. A most intriguing and rarely cultivated Salvia (seeds were offered 2 years ago) which unfortunately had suddenly perished last summer after flowering (I suspect a soil born infection based on the symptoms). Just when I thought I found a perfect companion for the gas plant (Dictamnus albus). Both enjoy a full sun, well drained location & calcareous substrate.
Advice:
Always collect and keep a back-up reserve of seeds from your most cherished plants, you may never know when you need them.
Always try to grow 2-3 specimens of your favorite plants; take action and propagate them before is too late (seeds, cuttings, division).
Epigenetics is a scientific field in high fashion and moving fast nowadays. Although the term was coined in 1942 by C. H. Waddington and scientists have been working since to elucidate the mechanisms involved, it is only recently that the mainstream media has been inundated by articles on epigenetic themes.
Very concise and without details, the field of epigenetics deals with the modifications induced by various external factors on any given organism and their consequences. The actual genetic making of the organism is not changed; epigenetic modifications only affect how various genes are expressed and are switch on or off (“epi” means “above” in Greek hence the epigenetics = factors beyond the genetic code. Most importantly, some of these changes can be inherited from a generation to another.
Referring strictly to plants, the study of epigenetics is underway and there is still much to learn.
I’ve read that “Plants are masters of epigenetic regulation” and it is not hard to understand why: they cannot move, so they have no choice but to adapt continuously to the changing environment and other stimuli.
Silene compacta in habitat
On a practical level, we can speculate that the epigenetics explains why some species and especially those living in extreme habitats (alpine regions, deserts…) are some of the hardest to adapt to garden cultivation even when provided with close by conditions.
Also, epigenetics might explain the differences in germination patterns of a given species, in case of mother-plants originating from different geographical areas.
It is already known by gardeners that the more different your climate & garden conditions are than the ones where a species grows wild, the more difficult it will be to ‘tame’ it into cultivation and hardiness is not the only factor.
The first generation of seedlings express the traits inherited from the mother-plant and they react accordingly in relation to seasonal temperatures, substrate, light intensity, water regime…..
By growing a second generation seedlings from the first ones, and then a third one and so on….we have increasingly higher chances to obtain better ‘tamed’ plants for our specific garden conditions. They will look exactly the same as the original mother-plant, but their adaptation to the local variations in temperatures, water regime, humidity and so on, will be improved.
To exemplify:
Last summer, Helichrysum arenarium (sandy everlasting) successfully flowered in my rockery and set a few seeds; later in the fall it ‘disappeared’ despite growing in a very well drained spot.
Helichrysum arenarium ex. Dobrogea, flowering in August, 2021
The species was grown from wild collected seeds in the Dobrogea region of Romania, which has a very different climate than we have in SW Ontario, so it was no big surprise that it didn’t last long.
It is a very lucky situation when a few seeds are available to obtain a second generation of seedlings. There is hope that they will adapt better to the new environment in the next generation.
Other species also managed only a first flowering: Paronychia cephalotes, a couple of Minuartia and Centaurea jankae.
But others grown from seeds from the same trip adapted well: Dianthus nardiformis, Centaurea orientalis, Alyssum borzeanum, Aurinia saxatilis, Sedum urvillei, Silene compacra, Ephedra distachya and Iris suaveolens.
Virtual traveling to the region in question available below:
Winter getaway – Dobrogea I
Winter getaway – Dobrogea II
And/or read more about epigenetics in plants (there are many other articles available).
Epigenetic Regulation in Plants
February has arrived (with a vengeance) and I hope many are preparing to start their indoor sowings.
Silene suecica
I have written about indoor sowing before, but maybe is good to mention again the ‘warm germinators’. This is the term used in the catalogue to describe the dry seeds that will germinate at room temperature (+/- 17-21C) after a certain (and variable) period of time.
I think it is a very good method especially for rockery species which always benefit from being planted in the ground at a young stage (Dianthus, Draba, Silene, Anthemis, Hedysarum, Oxytropis, Papaver….).
With so many light systems available nowadays, it is worth giving it a try. It is most rewarding and also therapeutic to grow something new during the winter months! Start with just 3-4 species if you are new at this. They will be perfect for a small trial-out container planting.
Draba haynaldii grown-up seedlings
You know the concept of going to do the grocery when you are not hungry, right? Your ‘plants budget’ will certainly improve when the garden centers start offering perennials in late spring!
Also check out the Germination guide of the Ontario Rock Garden & HP Society page: Here
Advice on using acid gibberellic: Here
Hot water treatment: Here
Advice for sowing small/fine seeds: Here
Soaking and nicking the seeds: Here
*It can happen that species given as ‘warm germinators’ to not ‘comply’ to the rule, and vice-versa, ‘cold germinators’ starting to germinate at room temperature.
Echinops crispus seedlings
The source of seeds: wild coll. versus garden coll., growing conditions of the mother-plants and other factors, all can influence the germination pattern. When it happens, place the pot in cold location for 3-4 weeks. And, no matter what, it is best to keep your pots for 2-3 years if possible; some seeds can enter a second dormancy and will need multiple alternate cycles of cold/warm for germination.
The list below is not exclusive and it includes only contains cold hardy genera/species that I have personally germinated over the years at room temperature. I made notes for the species that I have started using GA3 (by habit) and those that will germinate best and faster if using a HWT (hot water treatment).
Acinos alpinus
Allium thunbergii and few other Allium
Aquilegia canadensis and most other Aquilegia – with GA3 treatment
Amphicarpaea
Arenaria
Arabis species
Androsace some species
Anthemis carpatica and other Anthemis species
Arisaema triphyllum and other Arisaema
Artemisia
Astragalus (with HWT)
Asphodeline lutea, A. taurica
Aurinia saxatilis
Alyssum
Baptisia australis (using the HWT)
Berkheya purpurea
Bukiniczia cabulica
Campanula, many species
Caragana (HWT)
Carlina acaulis
Calycanthus floridus
Centaurea triumfettii, C. orientalis, and other Centaurea species
Cerastium alpinum ssp. lanatum
Cercis canadensis
Cirsium
Clematis alpina and other Clematis
Draba species
Delphinium grandiflorum and other Delphinium species
Dianthus nardiformis
Dianthus superbus ssp. sajanensis, most other Dianthus species
Echinops crispus and other Echinops
Edraianthus graminifolius and other Edraianthus (not all species though)
Erinus alpinus
Gypsophila
Hedysarum (using the HWT)
Hieracium lanatum
Ipomopsis
Iris dichotoma
Iris domestica
Incarvillea
Jurinea mollis
Kernera saxatilis
Lathyrus (with HWT)
Lilium formosanum var.pricei
Linaria spp.
Lychnis ssp.
Erythranthe guttata
Matthiola
Minuartia, some species
Monarda
Papaver species
Paronychia
Phyteuma orbiculare and others
Platycodon
Primula japonica and other Primula spp. (some exceptions)
Pulsatilla vulgaris, other species, hybrids,
Rhododendron species
Roscoea species
Salvia
Sedum ssp. and Sempervivums
most Silene species
Scabiosa caucasica, other Scabiosa spp.
Scutellaria pontica
Syneilesis
Thermopsis (using HWT)
Thalictrum cf. foetidum, few other Thalictrum with GA3 treatment
Thymus species
Viola – some species
So, get ready: wash your pots, have handy sowing mix, labels, the seeds and then go! Start first with those species which take longer to germinate (or unknown) and leave the very fast germinators for mid-February, early March. Good luck!
It is always exciting to find Phacelia sericea (Silky Phacelia, blue alpine phacelia, silky scorpion weed) in flower when hiking up in the mountains in mid to late summer (various mountain ranges of Western North America). It grows on dry, rocky slopes, near avalanche chutes and rocky forest openings, often in small groups or as single specimens. It is not difficult to recognize it after the deep-blue, violet flowers with exerted stamens and silvery aspect of the foliage (pinnatifid leaves with a covering of short, soft hairs).
Phacelia sericea in late July, Lizard Ranges, close to Fernie, SE BC
I had the luck to catch it in flower twice in the Rocky Mts. in SE British Columbia, and I even found older capsules with few seeds, which were preserved under the deep layer of snow.
I managed to grow a seedling which has developed nicely but then disappeared suddenly in the summer. As I understand, many others tried to grow it with the same outcome; even with a stellar drainage provided, muggy weather pose a big problem.
I will give it one more try this year. It is a warm germinator and the seedlings are not very difficult (it forms a taproot so it is best to plant the young seedlings in the rockery fast).
Phacelia sericea seeds aspect; the fruit is a capsule with 2 chambers
For other awesome species from the same location have a virtual weekend getaway – Weekend getaway: Lizard Ranges revisited.
*AN ILLUSTRATED KEY TO THE HYDROPHYLLACEAE OF ALBERTA
https://anpc.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Hydrophyllaceae-2019-09.pdf
**Interesting read on Phacelia (don’t grab your shovel to go looking for gold :)
https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2018/04/04/silky-phacelia-handsome-wildflower-special-talent
As the extreme cold goes on we will push forward with a few species from the bellflower family. This family includes a lot of species with flowers in various shades of blue: from a light, soft blue to deep blue and blue-violet.
Besides Campanula (it would be very hard to enumerate all species), a few of the most cultivated genera in cold climates are: Edraianthus, Asyneuma, Phyteuma, Jasione, Platycodon, Lobelia, Codonopsis…(and possibly I forgotten some).
Most species are easy to grow from seeds and adaptable in cultivation, and you can find suitable species for a variety of locations, like rockeries and flower beds, woodlands; from sun to shade, and dry to moist.
As it happens, they are not yet well represented in my garden and one of my garden-goals is to try and do better in regards to the Campanulaceae. I already shown Jasione in the last post; here are a few more samples in various shades of blue:
And my only Edraianthus graminifolius (not from lack of trying), probably one of the easiest to grow.
Edraianthus graminifolius
