Colchicum germination

[Diane Whitehead]

Maggi,

People have made a few suggestions to me about how to get the
seeds to germinate, but it has become a matter of curiosity now
to see how long they will take.

I think I may get some new seeds and try the methods suggested.

Pacific Coast Iris growers here put old seed in a piece of stocking
and tie it to something in the toilet tank.  Every time the tank refills
with fresh water, growth inhibitors are washed away.

Someone suggested abrading the seedcoat.  I use nail clippers to
take a tiny nip out of any bean family members, and they then
germinate in a few days.

I showed my new seedling to Jim Almond last night (he is giving talks
in the area) and he said he has best success with bulb seeds in pots
left outside so rain can wash away inhibitors.  Well, that may work
in the U.K. with its summer rain, but doesn't work here.  Heavy winter
rain often washes out the pots, they require an automatic watering system
in our rainless summer, and the first autumn rain germinates conifer
seeds and ferns so that by the second spring I have a small forest in
each pot.  That's why I use ziplock bags.

However,  washing the seeds in the toilet tank and putting them in damp
soilless mix in a ziplock would combine the benefits.

[Maggi Young]

We'll try the "toilet treatment", Diane... it's worth a try... we have, after all,  over the years tried treating the blasted things just about every other  way except taking them out for dinner and to the movies ....

Somewhere in the back of my cynical mind, there is a tiny hope that this time   all the colchicum seeds just arrived will burst into life and grow like I always hoped they would.......what a hopeless optimist I am 

[Diane Whitehead]

I posted my Colchicum germination data on the Pacific Bulb Society
list and received this information from Jane McGary of Oregon, who
grows many bulbs.

She sows seeds every year.  She has noticed that there will be
germination of a number of different Colchicum species one year, and
the seeds will have been sown over a number of years. 

She thinks there is some environmental trigger that makes them
germinate, and it doesn't occur on a regular basis.

I think this is a perfect long-term research project for someone, or
even someone on each continent.  There could be a consortium of
Colchicum researchers.  Their germination could be triggered by
El Niño or solar flares.

Not me - there are a hundred or so genera that I am more excited
about than Colchicum.

[Maggi Young]

Not me - there are a hundred or so genera that I am more excited
about than Colchicum.

Well, that's sort of how I feel; but I do hate to be beaten 
You know, we offer them a good home: what IS their problem with us.....darn awkward plants!

[Lesley Cox]

I think this is a perfect long-term research project for someone, or
even someone on each continent.  There could be a consortium of
Colchicum researchers.  Their germination could be triggered by
El Niño or solar flares.

Or the regular appearance of Halley's comet. Once every 78 years or something isn't it?

[tonyg]

Checking my seed pots yesterday (lashing with rain today) I noted three pots of colchicum sown in winter 2006/7 all now germinating.  They stand out in all weathers, it is just a matter of time and they do germinate.  I think the wet summer in 2007 may have helped wash away germination inhibitors for the the proportion of seed germinating is good.