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jblaschke

Stratification

jblaschke
15 years ago

I've never seen any formal writeup or research into this, but I've suspected for a while that stratification helps improve the germination rate of incarnata seeds. This would make sense, since incarnata is a temperate plant that's adapted to winter die-backs.

I generally store my collected seed in plastic containers filled with moist sand, and keep them in the refrigerator where they stay cold and dormant. The other day I took the incarnata seed out, then forgot about it. When I found it today, I was startled to discover more than 60 percent (and this might well be a low estimate) of the seeds had split open and with a little white root snaking from them.

I don't know if this would work for tropical species, but for incarnata it's a great way of coordinating germination if nothing else.

Comments (5)

  • MissSherry
    15 years ago

    60% or more germination is a great rate for p. incarnata! I've planted seeds before without stratification, and only about ?10% of mine came up.
    Moist sand in the fridge, I'll remember that!
    Sherry

  • jblaschke
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I think that 60 percent is on the low end. I took them back out last night to put some in starter pots, and I was hard-pressed to find many that weren't splitting with root tips coming out. Fortunately, I was looking for those already germinating, so I was in good shape.

  • passionflow
    15 years ago

    Hi Jblaschke
    Certainly works for incarnata (and probably lutea) - I have had then germinate within four days after being stored over winter in the fridge. Some tropical species will give high germination rates from fresh fruit but once dried they become much harder to germinate and the percentages come right down.
    I store my seed in the fridge in brown paper envelopes - the main thing is that it can breathe and not become too dry.
    Quite a bit about seed storage germination inhibitors and promotors in the link.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Passiflora seed

  • jblaschke
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Myles, yes, I've read those pages on your site--several times in fact. It's been my experience that dying any pasiflora seed greatly reduces its viability. To the point where if a seed source mentions that they've dried their seeds, I won't even bother.

    I'd expect incarnata, lutea, affinis, mexicana, tenuiloba, foetida var. gossypiifolia to all respond to stratification to some degree or other, since they're all exposed to freezing weather over the winter months. But obviously incarnata and lutea, being the northern-most ranging, probably derive the most benefit from it.

  • kiwinut
    15 years ago

    I have never been able to germinate the local incarnata seeds without cold moist stratification. Dried seeds germinated fine a year later, nearly 100%, but only if stratified moist for 60 days. The need for stratification of incarnata seeds probably depends on the climate in which they were collected.

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