Daphne 2010

[Maggi Young]

The book on Daphnes by Chris Brickell and Brian Mathew says that many daphne seeds need a period of cold treatment (stratification) of around three months to encourage germination. In the case of Daphne bholua, however, they tell of fresh seed of being sown in June which germinated within six weeks. They also relate the case of year old seeds being sown in March of D. gnidium and D. acutiloba  which germinated in only eight weeks.

 The authors are, of course, giving their advice from a UK perspective.
They say that as a general rule daphne seeds should be stratified unless the species are not hardy in the UK, saying that " even then it may well bethat, although tender in cultivation here, in their native habitat the species concerned are subject to cold conditions and that their tenderness is due to other factors"

 They go on to say that daphne  seed does best when harvested  just before the berry appeards fully ripe, the fleshy portion of the berry removed and the seed sown straight away. It seems there is less delayed germination with that approach.  They do  not recommend the dry storage of daphne seed, "except possibly in a refrigerator"  in moist sand.

This little book is  "Daphne- The genus in the wild and in cultivation" and is from the 1981reprint ISBN 0 900048 23 9 by C.D.Brickell and B. Mathew.

You may be able to source a copy online if you're interested.

They have some advice on compost etc too.... if you like I can photograph those pages and email them to you.

[John Kitt]

Maggi that info would be GREAT!! I will also try and source the publication.

You constantly amaze me. Your knowledge seems to exceed your commitment to the forum if that is possible.
Do you do any housework?

[John Kitt]

oooops !! I have just realised I have been both sexist and seriously insensitive.

APOLOGIES!!!

[fermi de Sousa]

that'll cost you in chocolate!

[Ragged Robin]

Wonderful to see your latest Daphne flowerings, Giles, and special congratulations on your Daphne petraea seedling flowering sweetly for the first time  

[Maggi Young]

Do you do any housework?

 I do like to think my vocabulary is pretty extensive but you've got me quite flummoxed on that one, John...... "housework" 

 No, I really don't know what you mean.... I'm not a house  builder .... is that the track you're on? 


Don't worry, too much, John.... there are valid excuses for your "error"....  you're   male and from Australia .....
 

yours faithfully,

[arillady]

Maggi you are so quick - thanks for another laugh.

[Maggi Young]

Apologies to Giles for this digression on his Daphne thread....

I do feel I must clarify matters on this housework business (I've just had a look in the dictionary).... indeed, I do do housework- only last winter I used the vacuum cleaner. (Well, it may have been the winter before..... time flies you know!)

[Maggi Young]

To John Kitt:  sorry for the delay.... have just emailed those pages off to you.
M

[iann]

Who needs Christmas Holly when you've got Daphne tangutica.

[Lesley Cox]

Fair enough, but will they be there at Christmas? Actually, for us they probably will be.

[iann]

Probably not.  The birds take them pretty quickly.  This year I think there were just too many for them to take all at once.  Or maybe they take one and die?  I've seen Daphne berries listed as poisonous to birds although I find it hard to believe.

[fermi de Sousa]

Daphne alpina is now starting its spring flowering season




This is one of three bushes grown from seed and sitting out in the blazing sun in the rock gardens!
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Fermi,

Do they set seed for you?  Given you've got 3 seedlings I figure the chances are high?  I rather like the idea of a Daphne that flowers twice, so would like to beg seed/layering/something to grow here?

Not long ago I finished the annual butchery of my Daphne odora..... a white flowered one I took my usual 30cm or so of growth off, to keep it a bit more compact.  I realised today that I forgot to do the variegated one, so now I am unsure whether to do it or not as I feel bad about cutting off all that wonderful growth it has made the effort to produce so well.

Lovely the see the Daphne's everyone.  Thanks for posting.