RE: Ipomea alba/Calonyction aculeatum

Gill,

I've grown moonflowers here in California, and have had success with
nicked and soaked seeds (I nicked them, then soaked them overnight
before planting). I haven't done anything but plant them in place (no
greenhouse) but I'd think they wouldn't be bothered by potting up once
they're germinated.

I just looked up the name in Sunset's Western Garden Book--not
necessarily the most accurate or up-to-date for names, but usually not
bad--and it indicates that the Ipomoea alba name is being replaced with
Calonyction aculeatum (though it's hard to tell which name is actually
the older with the Western Garden Book's format). You might try looking
up that name for propagation tips.

Hope that helps!
Cheryl
Santa Clara, California

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu 
> [o*@ucdavis.edu] On Behalf Of Tony and 
> Moira Ryan
> Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 3:58 PM
> To: Medit-Plants
> Subject: Re: Ipomea alba
> 
> 
> GILL POUND wrote:
> 
> > Does anyone have any tips on germinating Ipomea alba seeds?  I've 
> > raised
> > all the other Ipomeas I've tried without difficulty but 
> find I alba very 
> > difficult.  Have tried filing the seeds, soaking them for various 
> > periods of time, keeping them in a mini greenhouse with undersoil 
> > heating  ... and combinations of these.  All tips 
> gratefully received!
> 
> Gill
> Possible things to try.
> 
> Soaking in hot or even boiling water.
> Soaking in acid.  I remember at the Kenya labs where I once worked, 
> immediate 100% germination was (unintentionally) achieved with Datura 
> stramonium seed after soaking in dilute sulphuric acid.
> 
> One other aspect which may need to be considered is physiological 
> ripeness. If the seed is very fresh for instance it may not yet be 
> mature. Simply sowing it and leaving the pots alone be might 
> eventually 
> result in germination. I used to grow a lot of alpines for 
> instance and 
> many of these would not germinate for a year or more no matter how 
> treated. I remember topping the  pots with gravel to prevent weed and 
> moss developing menwhile.
> 
> Conversely though it might not be fresh enough. Some seeds do 
> not stay 
> viable long.
> 
> By the way I am not quite sure what you mean By Ipoemoea 
> alba. Alba is 
> presumably a varietal name for the white form of some 
> normally coloured 
> species.
> 
> Moira
> -- 
> Tony & Moira Ryan,
> Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our garden at:-
> http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
> NEW PICTURES AND DIAGRAMS ADDED 20/Feb/2005
> 
> 
> 
>
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