Plant of the Month April 2009

Jeffersonia dubia

Jeffesonia dubia (regular form); photo by Mike Slater

Jeffesonia dubia (dark form); photo by Mike Slater

Description and general information

Jeffersonia dubia is a beautiful woodland plant from eastern Asia. (There are two species in the genus Jeffersonia; the other is Jeffersonia diphylla of eastern North America.) The most common form of J. dubia in North American gardens is a beautiful light lavender color, but there is a seed strain in cultivation which is a darker shade. Both are well worth growing.

Cultivation

Good woodland soil in decidous shade.

Bloom period

Blooms before the leaves come out on the deciduous trees.

Propagation

Seed or division

Seed

Dry storage is "fatal" ¹

With the new storage program for the NARGS seed exchange which is being implemented for 2009 we should be able to have viable seed of J. dubia available if someone donates it.

Division

The best time of the year is ??? (help needed - please give us the benefit of your experience)

References

¹ Deno, Norman 1993, Seed Germination Theory and Practice