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Seed Germination; Phlomis nurseries

Debbie:

Some American nurseries that ship Phlomis plants:

Plant Delights Nursery 		919-772-4794
9241 Sauls Road
Raleigh, NC  27603  
Tony Avent	Email tony@plantdel.com

Sandy Mush Herb Nursery		704-683-2014
316 Surret Cove Road
Leicester, NC 28748
Fairman & Kate Jayne

I know that Tony has at least four different Phlomis in production right now.

Incidentally, I want to get information myself on sources of Phlomis seed
myself, especially those adapted to subtropical North Carolina conditions.
Based on my success with Phlomis cashmeriana,  the pink-flowered forms seem
to be better adapted to acid soils and humid summer nights than the
yellow-flowered forms.

Many of the pink species I want are Himalayan, including: P. bracteosa, P.
rotata, and P. spectablis.

Seed Germination:

I've had great success breaking dormancy in seeds using 100 ppm gibberilic
acid (GA) by filling a 2 to 4 milliliter vial about one quarter to one
fourth full with the seed in question, and addind enough GA solution to
leave about one quarter of head space in the vial.  The vials were placed in
a large beaker, and this fixed to a shaker table, such as those used for
bacterial cultures.  After two hours of shaking, the seeds were drained,
then sown within four hours.  This method was adapted from a California
paper on the germination of Salvia sonomensis.

It was especially valuable for the germination of all of my Phlomis seed.
They germinated like radishes, with about 60 - 80% germination in 4 - 8
days.  My conditions were grow lights with bottom heat, and the seeds laid
out on a 1/4 inch of milled spagnum over fine vermiculite.  The seeds were
covered with enough spagnum to make the seed invisible.  The tops of the
seed flats were misted, and the flats bottom-watered to maintain dampness.
With untreated seed, germination was 0 - 10% after three months. 

Besides being effective, this method is very economical with GA .  

I realize that few will have access to a shaker table.  Any way that you can
induce a gentle sloshing, swirling or other kind of mixing should work.  Now
that I don't have access to the table either, I'm going to see if I still
have enough of my old Erector set to build a reciprocating platform driven
by the motor.  Think of the pistons on old coal-burning railroad engines
that powered the wheels as a way to convert rotary to reciprocal motion. 


Rich Dufresne
SalviaKing@aol.com
salvia@nr.infi.net
313 Spur Road
Greensboro, NC  27406
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