Placea ornata source?

Laura & Dave toadlily@olywa.net
Mon, 26 May 2008 23:39:13 PDT
Rogan and others,
  I obtained seed of  'Placea arzae' three years ago from Osmani 
Baullosa, who suggested using a float method for germinating the seed.  
I filled a 1 cm deep, 10 cm diameter container with water, and set it on 
the window sill, where it got mid-day sun for several hours (evaporation 
kept the water from overheating).  Most of the seed germinated within 
three days, the rest shortly after.  I left them in this environment 
until the radical was about 2 cm long, then nestled them into a quick 
draining seed soil.  Some that I planted with a shorter radical, took 
much longer to renew growth, and were weaker plants.  The seed were 
planted into a slit in the soil, radical down, and with about half the 
seed capsule exposed above the soil. 
  I keep the plants growing for as long as I can, then completely dry 
them off for the summer.  Of the original 20 seed, I still have 8 plants 
growing, having returned both years after dormancy (some of the loses 
are due to a stupid watering error, I'm sure).  They seem to grow 
slowly, but are increasing in size if the leaf is a valid indicator. 

Hope that this helps, and that I continue to have success to report!

Dave Brastow  (Tumwater, Washington - 7A)


More information about the pbs mailing list