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

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

On Sun, 29 Sep 2013 18:48:47 +0100, Jeff Layman wrote:

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.

Most informative. Thank you. 'specially the ala vs alis. I have dug
them up in the past and transplanted but I must have damaged the tap root
in each case as they grew somewhat stunted the first few years and then
grew more branch growth than normal. Much too bushy. That is my main
reason for wanting to grow seedlings. I will try putting the seeds in the
fridge as suggested and will see what happens in spring. Next fall I will
try again with fresh seed.

On Sunday, September 29, 2013 11:12:35 AM UTC-7, New Guy wrote:
On Sun, 29 Sep 2013 18:48:47 +0100, Jeff Layman wrote:



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.



Most informative. Thank you. 'specially the ala vs alis. I have dug

them up in the past and transplanted but I must have damaged the tap root

in each case as they grew somewhat stunted the first few years and then

grew more branch growth than normal. Much too bushy. That is my main

reason for wanting to grow seedlings. I will try putting the seeds in the

fridge as suggested and will see what happens in spring. Next fall I will

try again with fresh seed.

I know absolutely NOTHING about the subject. That is why I am entitled to rush in and suggest. g

Would cracking the seed help?

HB

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.


Yup, that's it. You have to swallow them whole and then collect them later.
That's how they make coffee in some parts of the world.......

D

On Sun, 29 Sep 2013 12:19:44 -0500, 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 ?

No, I haven't... but a couple of points from an old seed lab hand:

1) if you've got a seed source handy, consider trying to germinate half-developed seed immediately,
no scarification or vernalization. In fact, if they're really handy, I'd start collecting 10
seeds every week after the first month after pollination, and try to germinate immediately.
Many seeds "add" dormancy factors towards the end of seed development, and you may be able to
shortcut vernalization by going for less completely developed seeds. It's worth a try if it's not
too much of a nuisance for you.

2) Some species put down big tap roots, and then have problems if the tap root is later disturbed.
There's been work on some species that suggests that letting them grow till the tap root is maybe 3-4"
long and then trimming off the very tip of that root encourages better growth after transplanting.
Again, I know nothing to suggest that this is the case with M. tripetala but it would be an interesting
experiment if you've got seedlings available and a few extra minutes of time.

Kay

On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 02:01:03 +0000, Kay Lancaster wrote:


No, I haven't... but a couple of points from an old seed lab hand:

1) if you've got a seed source handy, consider trying to germinate
half-developed seed immediately,
no scarification or vernalization. In fact, if they're really handy,
I'd start collecting 10 seeds every week after the first month after
pollination, and try to germinate immediately.
Many seeds "add" dormancy factors towards the end of seed development,
and you may be able to shortcut vernalization by going for less
completely developed seeds. It's worth a try if it's not too much of a
nuisance for you.

2) Some species put down big tap roots, and then have problems if the
tap root is later disturbed. There's been work on some species that
suggests that letting them grow till the tap root is maybe 3-4" long and
then trimming off the very tip of that root encourages better growth
after transplanting. Again, I know nothing to suggest that this is the
case with M. tripetala but it would be an interesting experiment if
you've got seedlings available and a few extra minutes of time.

Kay

Thanks Kay. I will have to wait until next year to try your suggestions.
There are no more cones available at this time.

Paul