Fresh Ranzania japonica

[John Aipassa]

Hello folks,

I am searching for fresh seed of Ranzania japonica. Does anyone have some surplus seed?

Thank you.

[Garden Prince]

A couple of years ago I bought seeds of Ranzania from The Green Mile nursery (see http://www.greenmilenursery.be/. They have not listed it this year but maybe you can ask them.

I think that because of the bad weather we had over much of Western Europe this spring the seed setting for many spring flowering plants will be very poor this year.

My Ranzania seedlings did not survive the horror frost of  February '12  .

[John Aipassa]

Thanks.
Seeds of Ranzania is about to become ripe soon, maybe Greenmile will list it in a few weeks. If any other member has got some to spare, please think of me ? 

Cheers,

[gote]

I can most probably send you a berry. My experience is that they should be sown in outside climate directly from the berry and will (might  ) germinate the following spring. Once established they are very reliable. 
Just send me your address.
Göte

[kalle-k.dk]

John; I have grown Ranzania in several years and I got a big plant. I grow it on a raised peat flowerbed in nearly full sun, I know it is a plant for shade and I grow also the white form in full shade, also in a raised peat bed. Both plants got flower every year and the blue one sow itself, not much, but I have several small plants in pots where I grow them in well drained peat (peat with cat liter) Right now I have seeds and if you want I can also send you some fresh berry.   

[gote]

My experience of Ranzania is limited but it seems fairly accomodating. I grow it originally in sandy soil with high humus content in a shady position. However I tried a division in a very open position in sandy soil with less humus content (next to potatoes) and that worked as well. What does not work is to try to keep it in pots outside in the winter. I think the rarity is not because it is difficult to eep it alive but because the seeds have extremely short shelf life and growth is generally slow and it is awkward to divide large specimen because of the massive root tangle. My oldest plat has been divided two times and does seed itself sparingly just as Kalle describes.
Göte
PS
My latitude is nearly 60° North and the sun is not so strong.
 

[rosa]

Had never heard of this plant until today - and yes, if there's some seed going somewhere, i'd be most interested. i garden at 60 degrees north, a little north of Gote Svanholm and - those little coincidences in life - i have Meconopsis 'Gote Svanholm' - not sure if it's the real thing - it came from Peter and Patricia Cohn, Kerrakar Gardens (not sure of the spelling). If there's still somebody out there on this forum, I look forward to a reply.

[Maggi Young]

Hi Rosa, good luck with the Ranzania seed search.

Trish and Peter Kohn don't open their  Kerracher Garden to the public any more - in case anyone was thinking of paying a visit on the Kylesku ferry.

[ashley]

Sorry I can't help Rosa, I'm looking for it too.
Göte doesn't seem to have been around here recently; I hope he's keeping well.

[Yann]

Dr Pilous still got some fresh seeds

[Garden Prince]

Dr Pilous still got some fresh seeds

FRESH? Don't think you can call last year's seeds fresh. Ranzania seeds should not be stored but when you have to then moist.

I bought FRESH seeds from Yuzawa Engei (http://www.yuzawa-engei.net/08English/index.html) two years ago. Were kept moist. Had excellent germination. They do not list seeds at the moment but say "We will renew our seeds list and start to sell fresh seeds from summer when we can collect the each species."  Highly recommended.

[Yann]

Mine germinated without problem, they were sent in a moist packet

[Eveline]

Hello dear plant friends,
I would like to ask you, which soil mix do you use for sowing the fresh Ranzania japonica seeds? How long does it take, before they germinate? How do you overwinter the seedlings?
Many thanks in advance and kind regards from Carinthia/Austria
Eveline

[Tim Ingram]

Eveline - I've never grown this wonderful plant but sowing seed would be the same as Jeffersonia and many other woodland plants with short viability. With all of these we sow freshly collected seed in a mix of sterilised loam, leafmould or composted bark, and grit or perlite - well drained but moisture retentive - and keep in a cool frame outside protected from mice etc. Germination occurs the following winter/spring, so around six months after sowing the seed, and is normally very reliable so long as the seed pots don't dry out. As soon as I see signs of germination in the outdoor frame I bring pots into a greenhouse where they are more protected from extremes of weather. The seedlings are tiny and slow to grow on, so aftercare is very important.

[Eveline]

Thanks for your kind advice. Since I have no experience with this kind of plants, you helped me a lot. The seeds are on the trip from Japan, I expect them soon and I hope to do a good sowing job then.