Sowing Paris - any advice ?

[mickeymuc]

Hello everyone,

This year my Paris sp. (a very small one, looks quite like P. thibetica) set seed, likely after being crossed with a low growing type of polyphylla. Has anyone experience in sowing paris and can give me an idea on how to proceed ? I'd intend to sow them at once, but am not sure if I should leave the pot outside or put it inside at a cold place to prevent any seedlings from freezing. Anyway I think it will take a year til seedlings appear above the earth ?
Thanks in advance !

Best regards from Munich !

Michael

[Stephen Vella]

Hello Michael,

I have had some success with germinating Paris,

If it's fresh seed you have a better chance of germinating them and sow it like any woodland type plant ie bark base soil mix gravel on top and cover the whole pot with autums leaves under some tree cover or place it in a cold frame in the shade.

If your Paris survive what Munich cold winters give it your seed will be fine. But maybe protect the first leaves from frost if they come up early.

Im only guessing but I think some require a warm period followed by a cold and spring warmths and should germinate, as the fruit rippens late autumn and fall to the ground and goes through a natural cycle. I would not sow them inside give them the natural temp fluctuations it needs to break its dormancy.

If you have any Paris seed to swap in the future pm me.

good luck
Stephen

[Robin Callens]

Michael,

Paris thibetica is the only Paris species that produces black seed partly covered with a red aril.

Paris seed should be sown fresh. Germination (appearance of the cotyledon) occurs after the second winter.

It is best to protect the seedlings when there is heavy frost.

Robin

[ellen&dan]

Hi Michael
 We have had good success growing Paris from seed by using a loam based compost with added grit and leaving them in a cold frame till they germinate which for us takes about 1 year.
Thanks Dan and Ellen

[Paul T]

Michael,

Congratulations on the seed production.  That's another species I haven't heard of before, or at least don't recall anyway.  Chiming in with my experience..... fresh is pretty much the only way to go.  As long as it is fresh it has germinated fine for me, treated as I do the majority of other bulb seed and sown in a commercial "seed raising mix" on the top of the mix, then covered with small gravel.  Fresh seed germinates just fine this way for me.  I've only tried this with a couple of Paris species though, as I haven't been able to find seed of many of them.  P. quadrifolia has germinated well this way, plus some polyphylla.  No idea if other species need different treatment.

[mickeymuc]

Hi everyone,

And thanks for the advice ! I hope I'll manage to get them going.
As the berries are orange I guess that it is a different spoecies and not P. thibetica (thanks Robin !) - here is a photo of the mother plant in flower, maybe anyone has an idea?
http://forum.garten-pur.de/attachments/2Paris1.jpg
Either it was self-pollination (which I think doesn't occur at Paris?) or a successful pollination with this one:
http://forum.garten-pur.de/attachments/paris02.jpg
 which I think is a polyphylla type.
I'd be happy about any hints for identification, but at most I'm happy that it has set seed...

Best regards !

Michael

[Robin Callens]

Michael,

I think your Paris with the narrow leaves is Paris polyphylla var stenophylla. This species germinates easily and can reach flowering size in 4 years time which is fast for Paris. Paris thibetica (http://picasaweb.google.be/Clint.Callens/Paris#5251554166790577314) has very long free connectives on top of its stamens unlike P. polyphylla var stenophylla.

The other Paris is probably Paris polyphylla.

regards,

Robin

[Robin Callens]

Michael,

I added 2 photos of Paris thibetica fruit with seeds on my webalbum:
http://picasaweb.google.be/Clint.Callens/Paris#5251560923715466162
http://picasaweb.google.be/Clint.Callens/Paris#5251559714526458946

regards,

Robin

[mickeymuc]

Robin,

Thanks a lot for the ID !
Am I right thinking that Paris are self-sterile or can I expect self-pollination as well ?
Your P. thibetica is very beautiful, the flower looks great but the seed pods are amazing !

Michael

[Robin Callens]

Michael,

A single clone of any Paris species rarely sets seed. When there are several clones most species set seed easily even without hand pollination. However hand pollination is the surest way to get a good crop.

regards,

Robin

[mickeymuc]

Robin,

That's what I thought, and then I should have hybrid seed - I'm very curious if they are fertile and what the result might look like. Perhaps they have some hybrid vigour and grow a bit faster than the mother :-)

Michael

[Robin Callens]

Michael,

I experienced that hybridisation usually occurs within the section Euthyra (Subgenus Daiswa). Even without hand pollination these Paris species hybridise frequently. Some examples of Paris hybrids:

[Paul T]

Wow Robin, on all counts.  Would be a pleasure to grow any of them.    Aren't the leaves on the luquanensis hybrid stunning!!!!!

[ellen&dan]

The pictures are great, i have been trying to grow luquanensis for a couple of years but the tubers keep rotting.

[mickeymuc]

Wow, Robin, those hybrids are just fantastic !
Do you notice some typical hybrid features (such as faster growth or more robust plants and faster spreading of the rhizomes) on these plants ?

Michael