Nerines (and Haemanthus) - seed sowing

Paul Tyerman ptyerman@ozemail.com.au
Fri, 09 May 2003 00:21:55 PDT
At 08:32  2/05/03 +0000, you wrote:
>Hi Jamie:
>         These fleshy seed amaryllids of African origin (Amaryllis, 
>Cybistetes, Brunsvigia, Nerines, Strumaria, Hessea, Haemanthus, etc,) give 
>better results if their seed is only half buried. As you know the main 
>ingredient for seed germination is oxygen. As for the Brunsvigias, they are 
>winter growers therefore excess heat will send them into dormancy. You can 
>have them growing without any dormancy at first to advantage. I hope you are 
>very young for they will take eons to flower in Germany!
>All the best for now

Alberto et al,

I have always found Nerines very easy from seed.  I have successfully grown
Nerines undulatus, masoniorum, angulata, krigei, bowdenii, rosea and pudica
without any problems, treating them like a normal seed and pressing them
half into the mix and covering with fine gravel.  All have germinated quite
well in this manner.

I am currently starting to harvest seed of Haemanthus coccineus and would
like to ask if there is any special treatment of them that I should make
when harvesting?  The outer fruit comes off easily, exposing a pocket of
air that contains the seeds.  Should the seeds be washed when the fruit is
removed, or can they be just left ot dry on the surface as they are?  Is
there any sort of germination inhibitor on the surface of the seed that
needs to be removed by washing?  I have noticed that many of these seeds
actually germinate very well if left in a paper bag, so should I put the
seeds into there to get them started, then plant them.... or is it better
to just half bury them in the mix?  I have received seed from Silverhill in
the past and they are usually germinating in transit, so I figure that not
being planted immediately is not a problem, but I am wondering if the
darkness in package or paper bag is acutally beneficial in starting them
germinating?

I have never had Haemanthus produce seed succesfully before so I would like
to get it right.  I was surprised that some of the fruit have had 3 seeds
within them rather than the single seed I was expecting.  Very cool to
harvest my own <grin>.

Thanks in anticipation of any help.

Apologies if I take a while to respond to any replies.  I am struggling
with Chronic Fatigue at the moment and often cannot use the computer for
days at a time.

Cheers.

Paul Tyerman
Canberra, Australia.  USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9
mailto:ptyerman@ozemail.com.au

Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Cyclamen, Crocus,
Cyrtanthus, Liliums, Hellebores, Aroids, Irises plus just about anything
else that doesn't move!!!!!


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