Seed Ripeness Question

[cohan]

What a silly man. The super rich in NZ don't collect plants, they collect Porsches, Maseratis, super yachts etc.

i havent read any of the original, but sounds like its all about the origins of the middle class, emulating the landed aristocracy with their conservatories and gardens and staff ...and i'm sure there was a lot of that sort of emulation, and no doubt echoes of it still, though a lot of other social factors have come into play in the intervening centuries, and doesn't have so much to do with we complusive plant folk as, maybe, public parks and 'perfect' suburban lawns etc etc..there certainly has to be some great historical/psychological reason to explain lawns, because there certainly isnt a logical one!!

[Paul T]

Sheesh!  ..... and I thought that some of MY postings got off topic at times. 

 

[Kristl Walek]

i'm trying to collect some seed from a few natives, and not too sure how to know when its ready to be picked...a couple i am looking at:
Anemone canadensis--this doesnt seem to have the feathery wind carried seeds, but rather is forming sort of of spiky balls; currently they are mostly green, some just starting to brown a little, but they can be prodded a bit, and they separate into a bunch of tightly packed seeds--no other material between --SO  if i pick these green, can they just be dried and then they'd be ready to go? or do i need to let them brown/dry on the plant?

Cohan,

Just catching up on this thread...and I believe your question has been mostly answered by other members. I'd like to add these couple comments:

Regarding Anemone: there is general guidance that is *mostly* true that the spring blooming, non-fluff making Anemone species are ephemeral (Anemone canadensis, nemorosa, ranunculoides, etc).

The later blooming species which produce their seed in fluff are collected fully dry and stored dry, when the "fluff is fluffing" (when it has become loose and open and ready to fly off).

The early species normally make "hard" seed and can be, as has been said, taken when they are still at the greenish stage BUTcome off the receptacle easily. If this is still "tight" and at the early phase of development, these will end up having immature embryos and will rot. The ideal stage is when they are wanting of fall off on their own (have loosened).

While Ranunculaceae members should be carefully looked at it terms of potentially short viability; it is NOT TRUE that all members of the clan have this trait. Most importantly: each member needs to be considered individually. For instance, Trollius seed. Many species have seed of long viability, stored dry. And yet, Trollius laxus should be moist packed after collection, or sown immediately.

[cohan]

i'm trying to collect some seed from a few natives, and not too sure how to know when its ready to be picked...a couple i am looking at:
Anemone canadensis--this doesnt seem to have the feathery wind carried seeds, but rather is forming sort of of spiky balls; currently they are mostly green, some just starting to brown a little, but they can be prodded a bit, and they separate into a bunch of tightly packed seeds--no other material between --SO  if i pick these green, can they just be dried and then they'd be ready to go? or do i need to let them brown/dry on the plant?

Cohan,

Just catching up on this thread...and I believe your question has been mostly answered by other members. I'd like to add these couple comments:

Regarding Anemone: there is general guidance that is *mostly* true that the spring blooming, non-fluff making Anemone species are ephemeral (Anemone canadensis, nemorosa, ranunculoides, etc).

The later blooming species which produce their seed in fluff are collected fully dry and stored dry, when the "fluff is fluffing" (when it has become loose and open and ready to fly off).

The early species normally make "hard" seed and can be, as has been said, taken when they are still at the greenish stage BUTcome off the receptacle easily. If this is still "tight" and at the early phase of development, these will end up having immature embryos and will rot. The ideal stage is when they are wanting of fall off on their own (have loosened).

While Ranunculaceae members should be carefully looked at it terms of potentially short viability; it is NOT TRUE that all members of the clan have this trait. Most importantly: each member needs to be considered individually. For instance, Trollius seed. Many species have seed of long viability, stored dry. And yet, Trollius laxus should be moist packed after collection, or sown immediately.

thanks, kristl..
i just have some A canadensis seed now, it was ranging green to brown and coming off very easily.. i'm not sending out much, a couple packs--should i be moist packing it?

[Kristl Walek]

it all depends on how long you imagine having it around at your end, and how long it will be in the mail. always good to do it, just to be on the safe side---and then there is absolutely no pressure on the recipients to even sow it immediately, as viability will be kept protected in that way.

i use barely moist vermiculite as the best alternative for moist packing. no cleaning to be done with this. just rub it apart into the individual sections, like an orange, and mix with the moist vermiculite.

[cohan]

it all depends on how long you imagine having it around at your end, and how long it will be in the mail. always good to do it, just to be on the safe side---and then there is absolutely no pressure on the recipients to even sow it immediately, as viability will be kept protected in that way.

i use barely moist vermiculite as the best alternative for moist packing. no cleaning to be done with this. just rub it apart into the individual sections, like an orange, and mix with the moist vermiculite.

thanks, that's what i will do then... i got some vermiculite recently in case it was needed..lol