Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
kitkat_oregon

Question re cerinthe oddity

kitkat_oregon
15 years ago

I am growing cerinthe for the first time. I got a packet of seed, 16 in all. I planted 2 seeds to a 2.5inch pot. All have germinated, however, 8 of those 16 seeds have produced two stems and two sets of dicots. Is this usual? Are these, in effect, twins? Do I thin them to one stem? The other 8 seeds are perfectly normal, with one stem and one set of dicots. Anyone out there experienced this phenom? TIA, Kat

Comments (14)

  • all_bout_flowers
    15 years ago

    KitKat,
    Just in case no one answers I'll give you my advice. Also, I have not grown this, does it make a good cut flower? My suggestion would be if you got the seeds from T&M I would email them they are pretty good about getting back to you. For something that is suppose to be fairly easy to grow, why do you only get 15 seeds?

  • kitkat_oregon
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    ABF, thanks for the response. It can be a good cut flower. There was a thread here at one point talking about it. I just love the color of the bracts so I thought I would try it. I got the seeds from Select Seeds and they say that you only get 15 seeds, I got 16 so I guess I count myself lucky:). Very easy to grow, just stick em in and wait about 8 days. Interesting phenom, though, the twin thing! Kat

  • Pudge 2b
    15 years ago

    I grew Cerinthe Pride of Gibraltar last year. I really liked it in bouquets. I also started in indoors last year (Mar 29) and discovered that the roots will fill a large cell very quickly.

    I don't recall any of the twinning as you describe but the plants are very branchy. For me they were ready to cut by the end of June which coincides with my big double peonies blooming - the two went very well together along with some baby's breath.

    Last year I had 5 grams which turned out to be 80 seeds. I think I transplanted a flat, or 72 seeds, but I had to transplant again into larger cell packs before planting out. Those 72 plants gave me about a 30' staggered row and I usually plant quite tight. Out of that, there was a LOT available to cut. I'm growing them again this year, but I'm only going to plant about half of what I did last year.

  • kitkat_oregon
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi Pudge, thanks for chiming in. The variety I am growing is called Purple Belle. Where did you get your seeds? I can imagine that these would out grow a cell really quickly, the seedlings are huge. If you did encounter this twinning thing, what would you do? Would you cull one of the twins :(, sounds soooo harsh. Tks. Kat

  • Pudge 2b
    15 years ago

    I get a lot of my seeds from William Dam seeds (damseeds.ca) in Ontario - a great source for Canadians but they don't do US orders.

    I think if I were you I would trim off one stem, given that they will branch a lot anyway.

    I take it that these twinned seedlings appear to be just as strong as the others and progressing with true leaves on each stem?

  • sierra_z2b
    15 years ago

    Hi Kitkat,

    I grew cerinthe for the first time about 3 years ago. Finished the pack of seeds 2 years ago. I had twin sprouts both years, of course they were the same package...so didn't think about it really. I just left them to grow on their own. The plants ended up looking the same as the other non twin ones in the end. They also self-seed and I had them comming up last year too. Mine were the yellow flowering ones...the bees loved them.

    Sierra

  • kitkat_oregon
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Pudge, the twinned seedlings are just as strong as the single ones and both stems are proceeding as well as each other, which I find really odd. I would have assumed that one would take over. I think I will trim some and leave some and see what happens.

    Sierra, I dont think I knew that this came in yellow. It must be lovely, did you use yours as a cut at all? How big does it get and where can I get seeds?

    Thanks, Kat

  • sierra_z2b
    15 years ago

    Kat, I mail ordered from one of the Canadian catalogues. Might have been T&T, Lindenberg or William Dam, I can't remember.

    I didn't think to use it for cutting. If any self sown plants pop up this year, I will try it in my bouqets. The plants were fairly short....about 18 inches tall...maybe slightly taller.

    Sierra

  • seedpod
    15 years ago

    Hi, just to let you know I have had the same thing happen.Not only two sets of seed leaves but two roots too.I planted them as normal ,all seem to be growing well.my seeds came from Moles seeds here in the Uk.They're like conjoined twins, very odd

  • kitkat_oregon
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Seedpod, when you say that they had two roots as well, did you pull them apart and plant them separately? Thanks for chiming in from jolly old England
    . Kat

  • PRO
    Kaveh Maguire Garden Design
    15 years ago

    I seem to remember the seeds coming in pairs connected to each other. Fairly easy to snap apart to get two individual seeds but I guess it is possible yours were not divided.

  • kitkat_oregon
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I dont remember the seeds being stuck together, they just looked like large dark .... seeds. Well, the seedlings are now working on their second set of true leaves and so I think I might try and separate one or two of these babies but if they are not willing to part with each other, I will plant them together and carry on. :) Kat

  • seedpod
    14 years ago

    hello, the seedlings that I had with two roots as well as seed leaves I just planted the lot and didnt do anything with them.They are fine.I did lose some to damping off but that was my own fault.I direct sowed the next lot I think it was too warm in the greenhouse.

Sponsored
Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars49 Reviews
Columbus Area's Luxury Design Build Firm | 17x Best of Houzz Winner!