Pteridophyllum racemosum from seed

[EmmaCampanula]

I had two flowering plants of Pteridophyllum racemosum last spring. I collected some seeds and sowed them immediatly. Germination began as the temperature went down to about 5 °C. Since then everything remained static, no germinal sheets, just first little roots.
During winter I keep the pot in the frostfree greenhouse and hope, that development begins in spring...

Is there anyone here who ever managed successfully to grow this plant from seed?
Please share your experiences!

[Hoy]

I had two flowering plants of Pteridophyllum racemosum last spring. I collected some seeds and sowed them immediatly. Germination began as the temperature went down to about 5 °C. Since then everything remained static, no germinal sheets, just first little roots.
During winter I keep the pot in the frostfree greenhouse and hope, that development begins in spring...

Is there anyone here who ever managed successfully to grow this plant from seed?
Please share your experiences!

Impressive!
I have never had the chance to try as I have never found neither seed nor plants for sale anywhere. I am very interested if you get more seed than you need yourself!
Where did you obtain your plants?

[Cephalotus]

Trond, it is on Rare Plants if you are interested.
http://rareplants.co.uk/prodtype.asp?s=93&strParents=&CAT_ID=602&numRecordPosition=1

[Hoy]

Thank you Chris!
I placed an order there last fall but didn' find it at that time.

[Ulla Hansson]

Trond, it is also found in Crüg Farm. http://www.mailorder.crug-farm.co.uk/default.aspx?pid=8677
 I bought last spring from Borealis, a company in southern Sweden, his plant was very nice . He has ordered again this year, but he does not know if he gets some. His plants are from Japan.
 Ulla

[EmmaCampanula]

@Trond
Yes they are very beautiful woodland plants! And me too, I have never seen seeds offered anywhere.
The plants are also rarely offered, but there are some nurseries who do. crug farm has really strong plants for a good price, that's where I bought my plants.
Here in germany there is also a nursery selling this plant, but much too expensive!

You asked me for some seeds; usually I am very generous to give seeds away from almost every plant in my garden. But in this case I'm a bit stingy with, 'cause I have a dream. 
The seeds are, above all, difficult to collect, 'cause they drop quick, when they're ripe.
Let's see what spring brings, if there is a good harvest, I keep You in mind! 

[Maggi Young]

@Trond
Yes they are very beautiful woodland plants! And me too, I have never seen seeds offered anywhere.
The plants are also rarely offered, but there are some nurseries who do. crug farm has really strong plants for a good price, that's where I bought my plants.
Here in germany there is also a nursery selling this plant, but much too expensive!

You asked me for some seeds; usually I am very generous to give seeds away from almost every plant in my garden. But in this case I'm a bit stingy with, 'cause I have a dream. 
The seeds are, above all, difficult to collect, 'cause they drop quick, when they're ripe.
Let's see what spring brings, if there is a good harvest, I keep You in mind! 

My goodness! What a wonderful dream that is! Marvelous photo. 

[Lesley Cox]

Best wishes Emma for your wonderful dream.

[Hoy]

Trond, it is also found in Crüg Farm. http://www.mailorder.crug-farm.co.uk/default.aspx?pid=8677
 I bought last spring from Borealis, a company in southern Sweden, his plant was very nice . He has ordered again this year, but he does not know if he gets some. His plants are from Japan.
 Ulla

Ulla, as you know, Norway is not a member of EU and therefore it is more difficult to get plants from abroad. Not all are willing to or can get phytosanitary certificates

Emma, understandable but thanks! I can well understand your dream!

[Peppa]

Emma, according to a site I was looking at, they will flower about four years after you sow the seeds. http://www.numata.aomori.aomori.jp/kouzan2/osabagusa.html

Also, they don't like to be planted too deep and don't like hot summers (sun) or dry cold wind in the winter. I found some nice pictures that show them in the wild; they are beautiful! http://homepage2.nifty.com/hanapapa/Fukushima/osabagusa.html

[Magnar]

Thanks a lot for showing such a wonderful species. I sure need to get my hands on a couple of plants. 

[Hoy]

Emma, according to a site I was looking at, they will flower about four years after you sow the seeds. http://www.numata.aomori.aomori.jp/kouzan2/osabagusa.html

Also, they don't like to be planted too deep and don't like hot summers (sun) or dry cold wind in the winter. I found some nice pictures that show them in the wild; they are beautiful! http://homepage2.nifty.com/hanapapa/Fukushima/osabagusa.html

Hot summers and sun is no problem here
Neither is dry cold wind 

I hope my wood shall look similar in some years

Peppa, do the Japanese pages say anything about snail or slug problems?

[EmmaCampanula]

@peppa
Thank you for the links. Though I'm not able to understand what is written, I see, that it's possible to grow them from seed!!!

@hoy
Don't worry, my answer was a Yes! 

[EmmaCampanula]

I forgot to say, that slugs are the biggest problem - they love these plants. 

An other problem are late frosts in spring, 'cause the flower buds are often appearing 'too' early.

The best place in garden is a cool shady spot with high air humidity. Limefree, well drained soil with lots of humus (decomposed pine needles for ex.).

[Peppa]

Emma, I've roughly translated the page (http://www.numata.aomori.aomori.jp/kouzan2/osabagusa.html ) for you. It sounds like you already got the gist of it, but hopefully this will help. You might want to have the page open for reference when you read this.

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In Aomori prefecture, Pteridophyllum racemosum grows with plants like Primula jesoana var. jesoana in the deep mountain forest near swamps. Therefore, avoid direct sunlight.

First photo

Seedlings

- Date seed sown: 2007/07/06
- Soil type: Potting mix
- First germination date: 2008/03/26
- Date of the picture: 2008/05/21

note: These seeds come from my own plants.They didn't germinate until the following spring.

Second photo

Second and third year of seedlings

- Repotting date: 2009/04/13
- Soil type: Potting mix 4 x compost 1
- Date of the picture: 2009/05/25

note: Repotted into 7.5 cm plastic pots with the soil mix above and added a tiny amount of slow release fertilizer on the bottom of the pot.

- Repotting date: 2010/04/06

note: repotted into 9 cm plastic pot with the soil mix above. I had been expecting to see flowers within three years, but it looks like next spring.

Third photo

Four-year-old seedlings

- Date of the picture: 2011/04/26

note: each of the nine pots I grew from seed flowered. It looks like it takes about four years to bloom.

*************************************

Trond, there's nothing on the page about slugs and snails liking these, but after looking around on the web it seems that, like Emma mentioned, they do, especially the new leaves...   Maybe you could plant a couple of common plants that slugs love around your Pteridophyllum racemosum as sacrifices so the slugs will go for them instead?