RE: Romneya coulteri propagation

I take it that we are to soak the seed in gasoline for ten
minutes and then let 'em dry off. Reading the instructions cursorily,
perhaps some readers would be tempted to set fire to the whole lot,
gasoline and all.  <8)



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
[o*@ucdavis.edu]On Behalf Of Tony & Moira Ryan
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2001 12:59 AM
To: Mediterannean Plants List
Subject: Re: Romneya coulteri propagation


Bob Beer wrote:
>
> >California, mentions that it is also propagated from
> >cuttings, and seed requires fire pretreatment.
>
> This is true but doing fire treatment at home is tricky business; it's
easy
> to get it too hot and zap the seed.  A nurseryman I know soaks the seed in
> gasoline for about 10 minutes and gets very good germination -- evidently
it
> is not the heat that breaks seed dormancy but rather the volatiles that
are
> released during burning in habitat.  I don't know if other substances
might
> work just as well as gasoline but that seems to work well for him.
>
 Bob
I remember getting some seed of (I think) Anigozanthus from Australia
years ago and it came with instructions to put the seed in a dish and
cover with some dried leaves or a few bits of paper. One was then
supposed to ignite this cover, which would apparently provide just
enough but not too much heat to start germination..

I have to admit I neve got round to trying it though, so don't know how
well it would have worked.

Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New Zealand)
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