Starting notes on Aconitum germination – 2018
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!
I’ve had problems in the past with germinating aconitum, in fact I am not sure I have ever succeeded with even one! Really interesting, thanks. :)
Thanks Gill. It’s not that I’ve discovered the ‘mystery’ of Aconitum seeds. These are facts well known, but because of seeds being offered dry and people keep trying them as such, and many times with no success, we end up believing that they are difficult to grow from seeds. Which, just like many Trilliums, they are not – only that the seeds require moist packing when not sown fresh.