Re: Datura seeds?
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Datura seeds?
- From: D* S*
- Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2000 21:52:48 -0400
On Mon, 04 Sep 2000 14:00:55 -0500 Pat <pattm@execpc.com> writes:
> My growing season is short here in zone 5, and we've officially
> reached
> meteorological autumn without one day of 90 degrees or over (but
> the
> temperature station is close to Lake Michigan and that keeps the
> temperature down), so I don't know that the Datura seeds will ripen
> on
> their own in the short time remaining. Do the pods turn brown?
Pat -
With the perennial Datura species the seed pods will usually split open
and disperse seeds while still green, before turning brown. You'll see
the pod getting larger and larger and when it looks like it's going to
pop open, then it's OK to pick it and collect the seeds. If you let it
pop open on the plant you'll get a thousand volunteer seedlings
everywhere next year. Set the pod on a plate in a sunny spot and let it
finish ripening, such as you would a tomato. In a few days the pod will
split open, revealing brownish-gold (or goldish-brown?) seeds. I've done
this many times over the years. I only ever let a few seed pods develop
on my Datura plants each year for seed trading because I don't want the
plants wasting energy producing unwanted seeds -- not to mention all the
undesired seedlings the following spring. ;-)
Dean Sliger
Warren, Michigan, USA
Zone 6B
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