Friday’s Seed – Jeffersonia diphylla
During a visit to the Aspen Groves Gardens to leave a few of my ‘precious’ seedlings for babysitting, I have also been ‘presented’ with nice, fresh and fat seeds of Jeffersonia diphylla :)
The seeds don’t keep very well in moist storage and I will be trying a new method this year, but you may never know how it goes…I recommend to those who have been waiting for it, to get hold of the seeds right now (orders are accepted until July 12th, then the Shop will be closed till August 10th).
All you need to know is here: https://botanicallyinclined.org/growing-jeffersonia-from-seeds/
Jeffersonia diphylla, Twinleaf; few seeds still attached to the fruit wall.
Jeffersonia diphylla seeds – 1 mm grid
And btw, those living in driving distance from Guelph, Ontario – this Saturday, July 8, Aspen Grove Gardens of Robert and Judy Pavlis are open for visiting from 10 am- 4 pm. Don’t miss the opportunity!
Read more and see pictures here: http://www.robertpavlis.com/aspen-grove-gardens/
Note: Besides sowing fresh or moist kept seeds, I emphasize again the requirement for good germination.
Baskin & Baskin have shown that ripe seeds of Jeffersonia diphylla have an underdeveloped embryo. Seeds need high summer temperatures (30˚C) in order for the embryo to develop optimally and reach at least one mm in length before dormancy can be broken by cold stratification. If this requirement is not met, another warm/cold cycle is required by the seeds to germinate.
Jeffersonia diphylla two-year old plant
I googled the plant to get a look at the flowers – very pretty, and the leaves are unusual. The common name (rheumatism root) is interesting, especially as the plant is said to be poisonous!
Beautiful little flower and I love the leaves!
Yes, the flowers are pretty but don’t last long, same like Sanguinaria, it’s mainly a ‘foliage’ plant. Like for other members of Fam.
Berberidaceae, Jeffersonia stands on the fine line between being poisonous or medicinal ;)
Yes, the foliage is absolutely gorgeous :)
I think I may need some advice on germinating Dicentra seeds… I have tried for many years saving seed from various Dicentra in the garden but have never got any to germinate. Would welcome your thoughts. Sue
Dicentra has the same requirements for germination like Corydalis – seeds sown fresh or kept moist and warm/cold cycle.
The only sp. I did D. formosa – from seeds I collected in the wild and kept moist, germinated very well in the spring. There may be differences for other species but in general this should work.
In worst case, what doesn’t germinate in the first year will do in the second.
Another possibility for your seeds not germinating would be that they are not ‘good’, although as far as I’ve seen if they form seeds they are OK.