On 29/09/2013 18:19, Paul Dudley wrote:
Hello gardeners. I have been trying to reproduce Umbrella Tree
( Magnolia Tripetalis )from seed with no luck what-so-ever. I've removed
seed from cones and then soaked for a few days to loosen and remove the
red outter skin. I've planted the hard black seed in the ground, in soil
filled flower pots, in wet paper towel and have been soaking some in
water for the past few weeks to no avail. I can't seem to get these seeds
to sprout. I have seen seedling plants in the wild so I do know they will
grow from seed. Perhaps they've been through the digestive tract of one
animal or other to soften the shell some. ( ? ). Anyone have any
suggestions ? I would prefer seedlings verses cuttings. Is some form of
scarification required ? Has anyone out there ever propegated said trees ?

TIA

Paul

Was the seed ripe when you removed it from the cones? According to
http://www.ibiblio.org/openkey/intkey/web/MATR.htm the fruit takes a
year to mature. Have you tried stratifying the seeds for several weeks
in a refrigerator, or leaving them out in pots over winter to allow the
cold and frost to get at them? This is from
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/lppi/sp244.shtml :

Propagation by Seed:
Time of year to collect seed: Autumn
Time of year to sow seed: Summer
Seed treatment: stratify 40 degrees F 4-5 months.
Preferred temperature for germination: 70-85 degrees F
Time required for germination: 3-4 weeks
Comment: Mulch seed-beds.

By the way, the correct name is Magnolia tripetala, not tripetalis.

--

Jeff