Seed-starting chronicles 2011

[McDonough]

Lori, nice touch... finding a good photo link for each!  Salvia indica looks like a special one, with different flower coloration than many. The UBC photos of Penstemon davidsonii var. praeteritis show stunning mounds of this species, wow

[RickR]

Nice plants, Lori.  Were these all direct warm germinators, or were they in you cold room first? 

(Especially asking about Orostachys iwarenge)

[Lori S.]

Rick, the Orostachys iwarenge was an easy, warm germinator (which I think is the norm for the genus); seedlings in ~18 days.   NB.  I went back and added notes on germination in case it's of use or interest to anyone.  Yes, most didn't require stratification.

You really know to choose the right plants, Lori! I always wonder why I didn't choose those!

I just close my eyes and pick sometimes, Trond.    Then I kick myself for having forgotten the ones I really did want!

The UBC photos of Penstemon davidsonii var. praeteritis show stunning mounds of this species, wow

Yeah, I wouldn't be too disappointed if mine ended up looking like that.  

[McDonough]

We've had a long stretch of cold weather, night temperatures to 17 F (-8 C) and day time temperature just a little above freezing, so when I walked around looking at the bare frozen ground, and a bunch of seed flats sitting on the frozen ground, I didn't expect to see signs of germination. But two flats of Ungernia sewerzowii, a rare Amaryllid from Kazakhstan, showed fresh germination. The daily routine of frigid nights followed by just-above-freezing mid-day temperature is supposed to continue... not sure if I show bring the flats inside to protect them from tonight's freeze; or since they germinated in this cold, maybe that's what they want.  I sowed more seed of this species around in various spots in the garden last summer; haven't checked to see if there is germination there yet; some areas of snow still remain.

4 seedlings visible on the left side



Here's what this beauty looks like in flower:
Ungernia sewerzowii
http://www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/12700.html

seed heads:
http://www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/38905.html
http://www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/38907.html

Ungernia on Pacic Bulb Society wiki:
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Ungernia

[Lori S.]

A good start towards growing an amazing plant, Mark!

Marmoritis (Phyllophyton) decolorans, a furry little gem:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=210001233
http://www.alpines.be/Tibet/imageFull281.htm

[McDonough]

Marmoritis (Phyllophyton) decolorans, a furry little gem:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=210001233
http://www.alpines.be/Tibet/imageFull281.htm

An awesome plant Lori, I love the squareness on the mature plant.

[Lori S.]

Saponaria cypria, from the SRGC seedex:


I hope it looks familiar, Mark?
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=325.0

[Hoy]

I haven't tried Saponaria from seed but a lot of other, mostly shade tolerant species.

[Lori S.]

Looks good, Trond!  But you're going to have to tell us what they are - I can't read any of those labels.  (I tried, of course!   )

[Hoy]

Ok, I'll do it - tomorrow It's no secrets but I do not remember all - I do not write the names till I am sure the plants survive. Many have only numbers  on reused labels with several names on them!

[Lori S.]

Here's an interesting development (to me, at least  ) on Saussurea medusa seedlings... looks like a little cotton swab growing out of the cotyledon:

http://p21chong.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/snow-lotus/
(Good heavens, the site above says that tourists pick Saussurea laniceps... !?!?!  )

Teucrium orientale:

http://www.rmrp.com/Photo%20Pages/TT/Teucrium%20orientale%20100DPI.htm

Salvia dolichantha:

http://theseedsite.co.uk/profile479.html

Asyneuma lycium:

[Hoy]

Here's an interesting development (to me, at least  ) on Saussurea medusa seedlings... looks like a little cotton swab growing out of the cotyledon:

Without the cotton swab I would have guessed a maple seedling

(Good heavens, the site above says that tourists pick Saussurea laniceps... !?!?!  )

I have read they even break stalagmites/stalagtites from caves

[Hoy]

For your curiosity, Lori:

Here are some pf the seedlings

Erythronium mix



Leucocoryne purpurea

http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/HighResPages/EH0436.htm



Rhodophiala splendens

http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/HighResPages/EH0015.htm



Ribes magellanicum



Tecophilaea violaceae

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Tecophilaea_cyanocrocus_var._violacea_%28Liliaceae%29_flower.jpg



Trichopetalum plumosum
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Trichopetalum


. . . and many more  

[Lori S.]

Wow, it looks like you have had excellent germination on some really choice plants!   What extraordinary flowers on Trichopetalum... reminiscent in appearance of some of the more bizarre Calochortus.

[Hoy]

Wow, it looks like you have had excellent germination on some really choice plants!   What extraordinary flowers on Trichopetalum... reminiscent in appearance of some of the more bizarre Calochortus.

Excellent germination, but then . . .