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Silybum and Galactites

At 15:56 07/01/98 -0800, ChroniAbaloni@webtv.net wrote:
>I used to grow this, and got little (less than 2%) from surface sowing
>and light covering, I've planted it as deep as 1/2 inch and got
>consistent germination, although irregular and much prolonged.

Rob,
I got four seeds of Silybum marianum in 1995 from an American friend and
sowed them in March.It took 2 months for the first 3 to germinate and the
last did so mid-June.These made most impressive plants but attempted to
flower in the autumn, failed and died.I asked the donor if she had any more
seeds and she sent me the residue of the same packet, another 4 seeds in
February 96.All 4 of these seeds germinated in three *days*
and went on to flower and set seed.Since then Norm Deno in his supplement to
'Seed Germination, Theory and Practice' has noted that Richo Cech of Oregon
reports Silybum to be a D-70 germinator..in other words, needing a period of
dry-storage before germinating well.It would appear that storage for 18
months or thereabouts was even more beneficial than a shorter period of 5
months or so.I wonder if this may be the reason for your low germination-rate?
I've found that both the more common purple-flowered Silybum and
S.m.'Adriana' grow much better with me when treated as annuals.For some
reason the few self sown plants which appear in autumn are always
weedy.Perhaps if I sow in spring but don't allow them to flower I would get
an impressive over-wintering rosette?

And talking of weedy plants..also in 95 I grew one plant of Galactites
tomentosa.I found this so weedy and unimpressive that I pulled it up when it
was in flower but when I was in England in April 97, I saw two plants which
had self seeded in pots in a polytunnel..the nurseryman told me that these
attractive rosettes of beautifully marked leaves were Galactites
tomentosa.Thinking I must have had something else initially,I scrounged some
seeds from a friend in the summer..result...weedy looking plants just the
same as my first attempt and nothing like the ones I'd admired.I'd have
decided that it was my cultivation but a couple of nights ago I was
searching for other information and at this site
<http://utopia.knoware.nl/users/aart/flora/>...in case anyone else wants to
look at it..I came on a photo of Galactites which was just as uninspiring
and as weedy as my own plant.
So can anyone help ..can you grow this plant so that it doesn't look like a
weed ?

Jane
Rep of Ireland.
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