Cardiocrinum from seed

[Onion]

See the pot full of cardiocrinum seeds by Diane Clement I have a question what do I wrong with my seeds?
In the last 6 years I sow them in a box at the surface of a peat/sand mix. I take off them with sand. The box put in an unheated glasshouse during the winter.
The result: One or two seedlings after two years.
Any idea or recommendation for me? I have enough seeds, this is not the problem.

[Lesley Cox]

This has been my experience too, when I've had seed from exchanges or elsewhere and the seed is not fresh. When I have been given some fresh seed straight from the plants, they've germinated much better, though never in the numbers of the original seed. I cover all my bulb seed with grit, to hold it down as much as any other reason in the case of lilies, frits, tulips and I wonder if Cardiocrinum prefers to be uncovered, as in nature it must just float around and settle in leafy crevices or on the bare ground. But that's true of all seeds of course. I'd be very pleased to hear from others about this poor germination rate and what to do about it.

[Michael J Campbell]

Lesley, I think you are correct about the Cardiocrinum needing light to germinate. While I don't grow it any more,the last time I did it was sown directly from the pod in a sandy mixture, and very lightly sprinkled with grit to stop the seed blowing away. There must have been 100% germination because when it came to potting them on after two years I could not get them separated. The seed tray was a mass of roots and there were hundreds of small bulbs in it. Had to discard most of them because I did not have space for the pots.

[Lesley Cox]

Well I'll note that for next time and for my new (unsowed yet) green form, from Wales via the R. of I.
Wonderful to have had so many but tragic that they had to be discarded.

[gote]

Lily seed have a well developed embryo that is visible if the seed is held against the light.
Cardiocrinums have not. It seems that they use the first period in the soil to form the embryo.
If one looks at the seeds of a pod of Lilium, some seeds - somtimes many - do not posess an embryo.
I assume this means that they are not viable. We really do not know wether the cardiocrinum seeds were viable in the first place.
Light penetrates a few milimeters into the soil. I have covered mine with 3-6 mm and have usually - not always - good germination in year two.
Germination has always been epigeal ( cotyledon up first) but delayed (one season going on entirely under ground).

We do have a Lilium-Nomocharis-Cardiocrinum -Notholirion thread.
Would it not make sense to have questions in those subjects (like this and lopophorum) in that thread?

Göte

 

[rob krejzl]

I have (once) had Cardicrinum seed germinate (ex seed exchange) without a double dormancy - one wonders whether it had had any pre-treatment. Similarly, I've had seed from exchanges which never germinated despite getting the same treatment as batches which germinated well. As Göte suggests, not all exchange seed is viable.

[Maggi Young]

We do have a Lilium-Nomocharis-Cardiocrinum -Notholirion thread.
Would it not make sense to have questions in those subjects (like this and lopophorum) in that thread?

Göte

That thread (Lilium-Nomocharis-Cardiocrinum -Notholirion ) was for 2008.

With various special sections, it is difficult to regulate or even decide, if some threads raised under Grow from seed or Cultivation problems etc would be better placed in their specialist sections or left in one of these general areas ....  

[gote]

I was not aware that threads expire by calender year 
I might have tunnel vision but it seems to me that Lilium and their close allies give people more problem than any other group since they have all four variations of hypogeal/epigeal and immediate/delayed germination. The general cultivation is also different from other plants. This is of course because they are large bulbous woodlanders and fairly alone in that classification. Only Trilliums come near and they also give people a lot of headache because their requirements are not understood.
The classification of threads is really not that important. The main issue is that people feel encouraged to share their experience.
Göte