Araliaceae

I would like to share my experience in germinating a few Araliaceae species. The ones I have germinated from seed are
 
Aralia racemosa
Aralia spinosa
Panax quinquefolium
Eleutherococcus senticosus
 
Both Panax and Eleutherococcus I sowed outdoors in January, and Panax germinated about 50% in May, and Eleutherococcus about 30 % in May. The Aralia species I have no exact data for but I sowed them in the beginning of April, and they germintaed by the beginning of June. Not to a very high percentage, but there was still enough seedlings for me to be content. There would probably have been a higher germination rate had I left the pots outdoors for another winter, but I never did as I had more plants than I needed. It seems like They all benefit from a cold period of 3-4 months, and the seeds don't seem to require a prior period of warm temperatures ( 20 C ), but can be cold stratified directly and then germination takes place in 4-5 months if left outdoors. Temperatures in May in this part of Sweden can range between 10-20 in the daytime and 10 C or below  at night. Maybe the oscillating temperatures have an effect. Panax quinquefolium which has a reputation of being "difficult" to germinate has not been very difficult in my experience though, and same goes for  Siberian ginseng, as long as you give them outdoor treatment, and that's also what N.C. Deno concludes in his book Seed Germination - Theory and Practice, concerning the genus Panax.
 
p*@mbox305.swipnet.se

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