arisaema seeds

[Véronique Macrelle]

I've been ordering Arisaema propinquuum and thunbegii seeds from srgc for several years now, but I can't get them to germinate.
This year, I tried 6 weeks of hot, 6 weeks of cold, but still nothing.
Is there a particular technique for these species?
When I sow my own A. ciliatum Morello cherries, they germinate quite well.

otherwise dear forumists,
Do you know of a source of Arisaema seeds in UE?

[Carolyn]

Veronique, soak the dried seeds in water for 24 - 48 hours. Change the water several times to remove any germination inhibitors. Good luck next time! I have never tried thunbergii, but have germinated propinquum this way.

[Ben Candlin]

Veronique, seeds of Arisaema propinquum (likely actually to be a part of the griffithii complex) are highly ephemeral. Seeds will need to be sown as fresh as possible, or stored in cool and just moist conditions to retain viability.

Arisaema thunbergii retains viability well, but they are hypogeal germinators, and so don't make a leaf in their first year. Instead they just make a small protocorm only and the leaf appears from year 2 onwards. I expect many people discard otherwise healthy pots of seedling tubers due to this.

[Véronique Macrelle]

thank you for your detailed answers.
 I suspected something like that. I've already tried A. griffithii and failed, and I'd read that the seeds were often not viable.
For thunbergii, I have a pot that has made its 2nd spring, and I have nothing yet. But last year it wasn't sown until mid-March. Do I still have hope for 2025?
keeping a seedling pot just the right amount of moisture for so long isn't exactly easy.

For species that germinate more easily, I've had some success with leaching, in particular this year I've got a nice pot of A fargesii (12 germinations) but for ovale, amurensis or consanguineum, germination is very sparse: only 1 or 2 plants.



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