Trillium germination

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Jan, your 2011 collected Trillium kurabayashii seed have germinated! :o

You were so generous that I decided to plant some, and then kept some in the moist packed bag you sent. (Don't we all like to watch the actual germination process if we can?) Both are sitting on the kitchen counter. I guess I just never got around to putting them in the fridge.... Now every one in the bag is sending out a radicle! And hopefully, the planted seeds are, too.

From what I read, most trilliums don't germinate until after a cold treatment, and then naturally go through the next season underground, and send up a leaf in the second growing season.

Now my question for you, Dave, Wim, or anyone else who might know:
how long should the seed establish its root before the next cold treatment?

If I try the "standard" 3 months warm (for root growth) and 3 months cold (in the fridge), that will take me to June 5th. Can I shorten it any? This scenario is from the start of actual germination rather than from planting, so I would think I could take at least a week off the warm period(?).

What do you all think?

Comments

Toole (not verified)

Tingley wrote:

Sat, 04/04/2015 - 12:40am

[quote=Tingley]

Could anyone offer advice on how best to handle seed of the following species (dry seed from the exchanges this year): Trillium albidum, Trillium chloropetalum, and Pseudotrillium rivale.

My usual routine would be to soak the seed before planting it. What to do with the seed flats is the main question. Should the pots be kept at room temp for a while before cold stratification? How much cold should the seed pots experience? There is still plenty of snow on the ground here,although daytime high temperatures are trending upward (0 C to 10 C by day, and -8 c to -1 c overnight). I could place the pots outside, or in our cool basement for steady cool temperatures, or in an unheated polytunnel greenhouse (might get too warm during the day).

Any advice would be welcome.

[/quote]

Hello Gordon

I've successfully sown a few Trillium seeds over the years however our respective climates are like 'chalk and cheese' so I'm not sure any advice I can give you regarding temperatures we experience here would be relevant....

Heres a link to an article by Bill Cullina http://www.mtcubacenter.org/images/symposium-files/Cullina-William.pdf .It is based on his experiences in New England.

Cheers Dave.

Gordon Tingley

Dave,

Sat, 04/25/2015 - 5:18am

Dave,

Thanks for the reply and link. I ought to have replied earlier but we are about to renovate the house in a major way (have to move out for several months while the work is going on). I decided to give the seed a soak, and plant it in pots to be sunk in the garden over summer, nature ought to be able to help keep things going. Trillium chloropetalum seed from the 2013-14 exchange has appeared above ground for the first time, so I'll just have to curb my impatience!

Cheers,

Gord

Toole (not verified)

No worries Gordon.Best of

Sat, 04/25/2015 - 5:20pm

No worries Gordon.Best of luck with the seed and house reno .....

It's interesting how early T.rivale shows above pot surface level when grown in a shade house.Here's a pic taken this morning of seed sown x NZTG Aug 2014 .......In my experience seedlings like these will continue to grow through what we call a winter here in the southern hemisphere.