Styrax Formosoma Propogation Help Needed

[raewynk]

I am attempting to propagate these seeds.

I am in Brisbane so not sure if I can or not but so far:

1 st attempt I soaked in hot water 24 hours. and then sowed them in soil and put them outside, this was August soak and sowed.
Got possibly one too young to tell yet. That took 4 weeks germination in soil. I only sanded the coating on a couple of seeds.
The rest goners or still have to wait to next season? Dormancy period?

2nd attempt I have cut the seed casing, soaked in water, now stratification for 30 days and then sow?
Or does the cutting of the seed casing, for go the stratification?

I am confused, and I can't find out much about them on the websites.

Originated from Taiwan I believe.



Forgot to mention I am a newbie at all this and probably not the best seed to have a go at with limited experience.
But have succeeded with Acacia Pendulla, Golden Chain tree, Judas tree? I think one up as well or it could be Malus not sure.

[Elmar]

That's an awesome looking tree!

Did you try to google the germination of this tree? I looked up how to do that for palms and Boabs. Germination was fun (and I had 50% success - it's keeping hem alive that I seem to struggle with)...[DISAPPOINTED FACE]


Cheers
EZ
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[craigw60]

My guess is that the tree pictured is styrax japonica which is sometimes seen in Japanese collections. These are cool climate trees and I doubt they would flourish in Queensland. I have one in my garden here in Olinda and it self seeds quite freely so I seed raising should be easy.
Craigw

[Elmar]

Hi Raewyn,
just looked for propagation of your seeds online but they don't have anything specific for your species.
This might help:

How to Propagate Styrax Japonicus Pink Chimes From Seeds
By Bridget Kelly, eHow Contributor
Pink Chimes (Styrax japonicus "Pink Chimes") is a flowering tree, native to China, Japan and Korea. It bears pink, almost fuchsia, fragrant blooms in May and June, with yellow fall foliage. An attractive landscape ornamental, Styrax japonicus has a broad, flat crown and grows to 30 feet in height. Although the tree is hardy to zone 6 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map, it is delicate and may have trouble in the colder regions within those zones. Pink Chimes seeds have a double dormancy, and so require both warm and cold stratification.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need

Shallow bowl
Peat moss
Plastic sandwich bag
1-gallon planting pot
Seed starting potting mix
1
Place the S. japonicus seed in a shallow bowl and pour warm water over it. Allow the seed to soak 24 hours.
2
Moisten a handful of peat moss and wring it out until no excess water can be removed.
3
Insert the Pink Chimes seed into the peat and place the bundle in a plastic sandwich bag. Set the bag in an area where the temperature remains between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and allow it to remain for 90 days. Check the peat moss periodically and if it begins drying, dribble water over it slowly until it is slightly moist.
4
Place the bagged seed in the refrigerator for 120 days. Keep the peat moss slightly moist during this period.
5
Fill a 1-gallon planting pot with a quality seed starting potting mix. Place the Pink Chimes seed on the surface of the soil and cover it with a 1/4-inch layer of sand. Keep the seed moist at all times. Germination generally takes between 30 and 90 days.

from ehow, where 60 Fahrenheit = 15 degrees Celsius, 68 F= 20 degrees and a Gallon = 3.8 liters

[raewynk]

hi EZ, I found that one too, but apparently this one is supposedly different.

But what I thought I would try is I have 6 seeds so I am going to do those instructions that you have posted, with half 3 and the other I think seeing as I have broken the outer crust I might try the warm, wet germination, humidity and heat for the germination.

I have been researching for a couple of months now and can find nothing in Australia on these seeds. Until I posted this which is great news that they can be grown in Oz.

Thanks to craigw60, nice to hear, have you tried to grow them from seeds yet. Do you have any photos that you can share please, I would be interested to see the juvenille leaf if you could please.

Thanks for all the advices, please if anyone else has ideas, please reply.

Here to learn and improve techniques.

Regards
Newbie Rae.

[Hackimoto]

You should not have any trouble growing them in Brisbane as I have had one in Murwillumbah for about 15 years. I haven't tried seed as I have never had any but I took three air layers last summer and they are thriving. They are very similar to Wrightia religiosa but the leaves and flowers are somewhat larger. Where did you get the seed raewynk?

[raewynk]

I got the seeds from jac rare plants off ebay he is in Park Ridge, south of Brisbane.

Just question for the bonsian's that have succeeded with seed propogation. I am reading on Wikipedia

"In the wild, seed dormancy is usually overcome by the seed spending time in the ground through a winter period and having its hard seed coat softened up by frost and weathering action. By doing so the seed is undergoing a natural form of "stratification" or pretreatment. This cold moist period triggers the seed's embryo, its growth and subsequent expansion eventually break through the softened seed coat in its search for sun and nutrients."

So with this in mind, seeing as I have managed to remove the husk of the seed after the 24 hours soak, (the soak does soften the seed husk, and the seed embryo is naturally then in growth and subsequent expansion,) or does the seed without the husk still have to have the chill factor.

I am a little confused, because my understanding the stratification is the process to break down the seed husk. Query am I reading this right.

So if my interpretation is correct one could soak the seeds and manually remove the husk, and forgo the fridge for 120 days??????????

[ski]

Craigw is correct - the picture is Styrax Japonicus.Formosanus has yellow centre.I have had a styrax j. in a shallow Bonsai pot for about 5 years here in Melbourne in full sun.My Japanese maples and other plants have burnt leaves after these hot above 40 degree heat and the Styrax has no burnt leaves.Soil in pot has a fine mulch which must help plus tree is heavily leafed because I have left it because of warm weatherThe only thing is not to let it dry out but even when leaves have wilted it has recovered.I have grown them successfully from seed but have followed germination instructions which are to warm stratify for 90 days and cold stratify for 120 days.I have not tried any other way.However seedlings are touchy and need to be out of the sun.
I am sure if you keep trying you will get results and it is well worth it when you see the bell flowers.On the other hand if you can get an established plant it will be easier.The only thing is it is not very common plant in your average nursery.Yamina rare plants may have some not sure who else.
Hope you keep trying.
Ski.

[shibui]

I am a little confused, because my understanding the stratification is the process to break down the seed husk. Query am I reading this right

It all depends on what the inhibiting factors in the seed are:
Some have developed the hard seed coat that breaks down slowly in cold/damp then eventually moisture reaches the embryo and it can grow. if this is the case then just removing the coating should allow them to germinate.
Some species have not developed the hard coat but have chemical inhibitors in the seed that must leach out before germination can commence. if this is the case then just removing the outer shell will not help.
In some species the process combines several different inhibitors together so germination is even more complicated. Hopefully yours is simple a hard outer coating


I am not familiar with propagating any Styrax so cannot offer suggestions. your idea of trying several different procedures is the way I would go as well. If your peeled seeds do not germinate they should still probably respond to cold stratified later.

[raewynk]

Thank you everyone for your contributions.

I will go to the extent of packing the tree in ice over winter if I have to. I am so determined to get one of these.
I guess you all know the feeling.

I agree that a seedling would be better but with the quarantine restrictions between queensland and Tasmania and Victoria.
I doubt that I would get one through the mail.

So seeds and see how I go.

I have the husks off the six seeds, I know I nicked one so that will probably rot out.
So hopefully 5 divided by 2 I should end up with at least one.


I will try and do some meditation and calm the nerves I think.

I will post as soon as I get a result. Maybe 20 days?