'Leycesteria crocothyrsos
 

The berries on this plant resemble small white translucent grapes. I want to
try and grow from seed. Can anyone tell me what the seed looks like as I
can't find anything resembling a seed.

'Leycesteria crocothyrsos
 

"Rupert" wrote in a message:
snip
Can anyone tell me what the seed looks like as I can't find anything
resembling a seed.
---
Perhaps you are not the only one Rupert. I have yet to find L. crocothyrsos
seeds for sale in any seed catalogues I have. They all appear to stock only
L. formosa. However, L.crocothyrsos is easily grown from semi-
hardwood, heeled cuttings during July. Use lateral shoots for the best
results.
I always use supermarket, 1 litre plastic coke or beer bottles for my
cuttings with an almost 100% success rate.
When empty, cut the bottles in half and fill the bottom half, half way up
with a suitable rooting compost, insert the cutting/s - no more than two to
a bottle - lightly water to set the cutting and place the top half of the
bottle over the cutting so that it fits *within* the bottom half, keeping
the screw cap on. As long as the rooting compost was sufficiently damp
when planting, there is no need to water again before removing the rooted
cutting.
This is a great way to grow cuttings as you can always check for rooting
progress. I position my bottles behind my garden shed where they are
always in full shade.

Mike Roscoe.

'Leycesteria crocothyrsos
 

"Mike Roscoe" wrote in message
...

"Rupert" wrote in a message:
snip
Can anyone tell me what the seed looks like as I can't find anything
resembling a seed.
---
Perhaps you are not the only one Rupert. I have yet to find L.
crocothyrsos
seeds for sale in any seed catalogues I have. They all appear to stock
only
L. formosa. However, L.crocothyrsos is easily grown from semi-
hardwood, heeled cuttings during July. Use lateral shoots for the best
results.
I always use supermarket, 1 litre plastic coke or beer bottles for my
cuttings with an almost 100% success rate.
When empty, cut the bottles in half and fill the bottom half, half way up
with a suitable rooting compost, insert the cutting/s - no more than two
to
a bottle - lightly water to set the cutting and place the top half of the
bottle over the cutting so that it fits *within* the bottom half, keeping
the screw cap on. As long as the rooting compost was sufficiently damp
when planting, there is no need to water again before removing the rooted
cutting.
This is a great way to grow cuttings as you can always check for rooting
progress. I position my bottles behind my garden shed where they are
always in full shade.

Mike Roscoe.


Thanks for the info. I have got a couple of the grape like fruits drying off
naturally and I will have a look inside in a few weeks.
I will have a crack at cuttings because the plant does tend to get untidy
with lots of laterals that I prune off.

'Leycesteria crocothyrsos
 

for cuttings - softwood in summer.

'Leycesteria crocothyrsos
 

"cliff_the_gardener" added:.
for cuttings - softwood in summer.
---
In summer yes, but semi-hardwood cuttings of
L. crocothyrsos are best for a successful strike.
Try both, then you'll see that my advice is the
better bet.

M.R.

'Leycesteria crocothyrsos
 

"Mike Roscoe" wrote in message
...

"cliff_the_gardener" added:.
for cuttings - softwood in summer.
---
In summer yes, but semi-hardwood cuttings of
L. crocothyrsos are best for a successful strike.
Try both, then you'll see that my advice is the
better bet.

M.R.

Thanks to you both.
Incidentally I have found the seed at
http://www.plantworld-devon.co.uk/ (Thanks Sacha)

'Leycesteria crocothyrsos
 

On 22/12/05 21:34, in article , "Rupert"
wrote:


"Mike Roscoe" wrote in message
...

"cliff_the_gardener" added:.
for cuttings - softwood in summer.
---
In summer yes, but semi-hardwood cuttings of
L. crocothyrsos are best for a successful strike.
Try both, then you'll see that my advice is the
better bet.

M.R.

Thanks to you both.
Incidentally I have found the seed at
http://www.plantworld-devon.co.uk/ (Thanks Sacha)


Glad to hear it.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)