AusBonsai

Hi All,

super quick one here, I've collected some swamp cypress seeds from both opened and unopened cones, mostly that had fallen to the ground.

is there any trick to getting a good rate of germination? I'm talking stratification etc. Here in Perth it's down to about 5-10 Celsius most nights and sub 20 days.

Cheers,
Birchman.

No need to do anything but they have a very low germination rate. I collect them when the pods have dried but not opened or fallen off - but off the ground works too. I store them in an airtight container and plant when it gets warmer - usually around October.

I also agree about not stratifying; a waste of time.

I would and have planted out earlier; say around early August.

Grant

That's interesting Grant - up here in some years I still haven't even collected the seed in August - the pods are still green and on the trees. I do find when the seed drops does depend on the season - although I am not sure what influences the timing.

Ok cool, probably won't bother stratifying but should I soak them or keep them dry til August? Also is there any benefit in washing them with bleach/alcohol or could this be harmful?

I searched a lot online about stratification a couple of years ago but came to the conclusion if you have heaps of seed it's a waste of time. As I said I just store it in an airtight container - that is sufficient for storing in one season. If you get 5 % germination rate you are lucky.

Bougy Fan wrote:That's interesting Grant - up here in some years I still haven't even collected the seed in August - the pods are still green and on the trees. I do find when the seed drops does depend on the season - although I am not sure what influences the timing.

Yes down south I would collect the seed much earlier and with Taxodium and metasequoia I had to make sure I planted them late enough (after May) so they wouldn't germinate too early but not too late(say September October) as I got a poor germination rate.

Different climates.

Grant