AusBonsai

I have acquired a couple of cones from a Scots Pine, just wondering how to get the best results from propagation.
Do i just plant each 'scale', or do i have to peel back the scale to reveal a smaller seed?

Any advice will be appreciated.

Josh wrote:I have acquired a couple of cones from a Scots Pine, just wondering how to get the best results from propagation.
Do i just plant each 'scale', or do i have to peel back the scale to reveal a smaller seed?

Any advice will be appreciated.

Collecting Scottts pine cones and seed is hit and miss I found. Collect them while they are still a bit green and they don't open and aren't viable. You have to wait until the cone goes brown; but then it opens so quickly sometimes you lose the seed before you collect the cone.

OK; assuming you have collected a brown but closed cone you put them somewhere warm and out of reach of mice. Let the cone open and tap or pull out the seed and wing. Detach the wing and plant now.

Grant

Thanks Grant - you're a great help!

is that for all pines grant? there is an allepo pine in town that is just starting to set cone, i know this will take up to two years before they are ready but wouldnt mind knowing the go with it all incase i find some in the meantime!

jamie

Have just had a closer look inside one of the cones. It was open, but i could see the maple like seeds sitting inside the scales!
Now i know what to look for......

Josh wrote:Have just had a closer look inside one of the cones. It was open, but i could see the maple like seeds sitting inside the scales!
Now i know what to look for......

any chance of a pic josh? that way we will all know what to look for

No worries. Excuse the focus on my phone camera.

thanks mate, muchly appreciated!

so do you remove the seed or plant the whole scale? i can now go pine cone hunting soon! the kids will love that

You might need to remove the whole scale to get to the seed, but don't plant it all - i digress.
The flakey part on the inside of the scale is very britle, and snaps off. But not to worry, it's not important, much like on a Maple.
At the end is a nice little Pine seed, which comes out easily, and is roughly the same shape, but a bit smaller and whiter than a sunflower seed. Hope this helps.
By the way, each scale has 2 seeds, times 'x' amount of scales per cone = heaps of seeds!
Can't wait to plant these babies now.........