At 10:20 AM 3/28/03 +1100, Robert Moore wrote:
Hi Folks
Just received some seed of this wonderful little tree - the
Chinese Pistachia. has anyone any experience of germinating its seed.
Is autumn a reasonable season to do it (in Melbourne, Oz)? Does the
seed need any pre-treatment? Would it stay viable until, say, spring?


Robert

Pistacia chinensis has abundant clusters of bright red seed. However, the
red seed is not fertile. Only the trees with occasional green seed are
fertile. Around our way, maybe one tree in ten will have green seed. I
gather it fresh, let it soak in water for about a week to allow the pulp to
decay, then wash it over a period of several days to remove all the
remaining pulp. The clean seed is mixed with an equal volume of dry
vermiculite (or peat moss that is _slightly_ moist). Put it in a plastic
bag in the refrigerator until spring (at least three months). Check it
periodically to make sure the seed is not drying out. Sow it when it begans
to germinate or when three months is up. Germination should be pretty good.




Brent in Northern California
Evergreen Gardenworks USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 14

http://www.EvergreenGardenworks.com

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