What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Darlingtonia germination

Hello,

Does anybody have a good method of germinating Darlingtonia seeds? This will be my second time after 0% the first time. I cold stratified for 3 weeks and sowed in peat/perlite mix under mist last time.

This time will be stratified for 4 weeks and then in a tray under lights (I have since left the job where I had greenhouse / mist access)

I do not live in a good region for these plants (Central VA), but I like a good challenge.

Any thoughts / tips?

Thanks

Jay
 
I would think Virginia would be mild enough to grow darlingtonia outside.... I could be wrong.
 
Seems like this last time I sowed Darlingtonia (my second try also. First try I only got one sprout out of 20 or so seed), I cold stratified for 5 weeks, in the pots they were going to germinate in, (50/50 peat/sand) then put them directly into a terrarium that maintained itself around 70 F and 70-80% RH during the day when the lights were on. Ended up getting a couple dozen sprouts this time.

You mentioned a tray and lights, so I'm guess you mean they'll be open to the air in your house, or does the tray have a plastic lid or something to hold in humidity?

I seem to recall reading that the longer you stratify them, the better chance of germination you have, up to a certain point, which was either 5-6 weeks, after which no change was noted.

Other than that, I'd just cross your fingers and hope for the best. Just try to keep them on the warm side with Winter coming on.

I would think Virginia would be mild enough to grow darlingtonia outside.... I could be wrong.

VA winters are nowhere near as bad as Michigan's, but it's still too cold to grow CP's outdoors year round unless they're in ground and mulched. You certainly wouldn't be trying to germinate things out of season here. ;)
 
Last edited:
The problem with Darlingtonia here in VA is the heat in the summer.

Yes, they will be in the open air in the house. I should be able to provide enough humidity for them….at least I think
 
Ensure you have fresh seeds, damp straitfy for four- six weeks, sow on top of peat/perlite mix, add bottom heat if possible to maintain 20C plus, seeds will germinate within six weeks. If not dont despair leave moist in pot till next year.
Cheers
Steve
 
I am gathering that the Darlingtonia seed from the ICPS is bad. We'll see what happens, but I don't have much hope. Let you know in 12 weeks!
 
Four week cold, damp stratification on a paper towel or chopped live Sphagnum. Sown onto chopped long fiber sphagnum in cups or pots kept covered with plastic wrap or sealed in bags. Germination in 11 days is typical what I get. Winter/spring room temperatures say 65-75°F. 85% or better germination rates. Seeds from various sources - field collected from Gasquet, CA and Sierra Nevada sites, ICPS seedbank, or plants in my own cultivation. I've never been able to get them to germinate without stratification but it is possible to germinate without stratification.
 
I am gathering that the Darlingtonia seed from the ICPS is bad. We'll see what happens, but I don't have much hope. Let you know in 12 weeks!

Not sure where you gathered that. My current lot is Darlingtonia (Gasquet County) from the ICPS and I had great germination rates.
 
These seedlings are from unstratified seed. The germination rate seemed to be fair.

20999630410_9350ed46b6_o.jpg
 
  • #10
Is the unstratified seed fresh seed? In my experience with non cp seeds, sometimes fresh seed will germinate immediately. If allowed to age / dry, then stratification becomes necessary.
 
  • #11
I tired seed fresh out of the pods from my own plants in cultivation and from other growers. I've tried seeds field collected by Barry Rice and other LACPS members. I've tried seed from the ICPS seed bank and my own seed that had be stored in the refrigerator for one month to 3 years. The results were always the same - no germination (even after waiting 3 months) unless seeds were stratified. No difference either from between the "coastal" and "mountain" populations.

Norman Deno's tests also showed no germination without stratification of Darlingtonia californica seeds. See "SECOND SUPPLEMENT TO SEED GERMINATION THEORY AND PRACTICE" page 28, available for free download from the USDA digital library. He reports no germination without stratification and 100% germination by the 3rd week after 4 weeks of stratification at 40°F. Germination temperatures were kept at 70°F. Seeds germinated in the dark as well as in light. Some species need light in order to germinate.

The bottom line is stratification of Darlingtonia seeds does not harm germination and may even increase the ratio of germinating vs non-germinating seeds. All it does is take up 4 weeks of your precious time.

Some species seeds have a dormancy period between the time they ripen and the time they will germinate. Norman Deno writes: "Every species must have some mechanism for blocking germination until the seeds are dispersed. While this is true, it was not emphasized sufficiently in the Second Edition or First Supplement that many seeds that germinate in the 0-70D pattern use an additional physical method. Examples are grains and annuals like Cosmos. Relatively short periods of a week or two of drying are sufficient to destroy the chemical systems blocking germination. The seeds remain in the recepticles (sic.) on the upright stems for weeks after that. The seeds would germinate after a rain were it not for the fact that the seeds are held open and upright so that moisture readily drains
away and the seeds quickly dry out after a rain. They are thus prevented from germination before dispersal even though such seeds will germinate immediately if placed in moist paper towels or moist soils."
 
Last edited:
  • #12
Plenty Of UK growers get germination from fresh Darlingtonia seed without stratification. Perhaps we're just better horticulturists?
 
  • #13
Fresh cobra plant seed always germinates well for me with no stratification. Even seed around six months of age stored dry in the refrigerator has "popped" well for me. This is with seed from various sources. Usually I see around 90 percent germination. If I had to guess, I imagine the seeds I collected from my plants this year will be about my tenth round sowing Darlingtonia.

That said, I have never tried germinating exceptionally old seed. I have, however, stratified cobra seeds just to see if I noticed a difference. I had always heard they needed the stratification period, but it seemed to make no difference the one time I tried it: germination was still high.

I always go with the standard 1:1 mix for seedlings, maybe with a thin layer of finely chopped sphagnum. Long stranded while moss makes reporting later a hassle.
 
Last edited:
  • #14
Nice. We shall see. They've been in the fridge for a few weeks now, and I think I will sow them next week.
 
Back
Top