Placea ornata source?
Laura & Dave (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)