|
Various
Lilium species germination styles
By
Darm CROOK, Canada
In
this article I will attempt to outline the methods of germination used
by the various Lilium species I have grown, and also the time period
from date of planting to germination will be given. This time period,
however, can vary a lot from one planting to another as many factors
have an effect on the seeds ability to germinate in a timely fashion.
Some of these factors are, condition of seed, age of seed, if it
has not been kept frozen after proper drying, too much or too little
moistureness, temperatures.
Obviously it will not be all
inclusive as I have not grown every species.
IMMEDIATE
EPIGEAL GERMINATION
The
following species germinate as immediate epigeal and produce their
cotyledon over the time frames given. There will be a few seeds in
almost every seed lot that germinate slower then these time frames. As a
rule, with immediate epigeal germinating lilies the first true leaf will
emerge about 4 weeks after the cotyledon.
L.
amabile and it's varieties - 8 to 20
days.
L.
callosum - 15 to 30
days.
L.
candidum - 17 to 30
days.
L.
catesbaei – 12 to 18
days.
L.
cernuum and it's variety alba - 10 to 30
days.
L.
concolor and it's varieties - 12 to 35
days.
L.
davidii and it's varieties - 12 to 20
days.
L.
duchartrei - 10 to 30
days.
L.
fargesii – 90 to 150 day spread in seed germination all from the same
batch. After 25 days incubation in a baggie at + 18C. the seeds were
then treated to regular temperature swings from + 4C. to +18C.
L.
formosanum variety pricei -
18 to 25 days.
L.
henryi - 60 to 75 days. Fresh seeds may germinate
faster.
L.
lancifolium - 10 to 17
days.
L.
lankongense - 15 to 35
days.
L.
longiflorum 15 to 25
days.
L.
lophophorum - 12 to 30
days.
L.
mackliniae - 20 to 50
days.
L.
maculatum [Wilsonii] and var. flavum 15 to 35
days.
L.
maculatum var. bukozanense - 10 to 35
days.
L.
maculatum var. davuricum 40 to 60 days. With the first true leaf
taking another 90 days to make an appearance.
L.
maculatum v. monticola - 25 to 35
days.
L.
majoense - 14 to 25
days.
L.
nanum and it's var. flavidum - 15 to 20 days. Once germinated these
seedlings need a 10 to 14 hour day at + 18 to + 20C. Then a 10 hour
night at temperatures around + 10C. Without the cool night the seedlings
will simply collapse.
L.
oxypetalum and it's variety insigne - 10 to 25
days.
L.
papilliferum - 8 to 15 days. Once germinated quite dry conditions are
required or the bulblets will be lost.
L.
philadelphicum - 12 to 25
days.
L.
philippinense - 20 to 30
days.
L.
pumilum and strains - 9 to 14
days.
L.
regale - 12 to 30
days.
L.
rosthornii - 22 to 60 days. L.
rosthornii seeds will germinate faster if
exposed to light, however, during their first year the seeds that are not
exposed to light once germinated will out grow those that were
germinated by being exposed to light. L.
rosthornii seeds need more moisture then the average immediate epigeal seed to germinate
well.
L.
sargentiae - 25 to 35
days.
L.
sulphureum - 8 to 20 days. If indeed these seeds were L. sulphureum and
not hybrid seed.
L.
taliense - 10 to 20
days.
L.
taliense var [nick name only] kaichen 20 to 30
days.
L.
wallichianum - 20 to 35
days.
L.
wardii - 20 to 30
days.
DELAYED
EPIGEAL GERMINATION
The
following species seeds germinate as delayed epigeal, with some anomalies
between the type and varieties. These lilies are in my opinion the
hardest ones there are to germinate.
L.
leichtlinii - I have had little to no success with this lilies seeds.
Having germinated only two seeds after 63 days then I lost them.
L.
leichtlinii var. Maximowiczii - The majority of this varieties seeds
germinate as immediate epigeal in 17 to 30 days. The few that don't
germinate as immediate epigeal can be given a cold period of 3 months or
so then planted out and they will germinate and come up the following
year.
L.
pyrenaicum - I have found that a few seeds will germinate within 60 days
after being frozen for a couple of weeks the majority will not. After a
three month incubation period at temperatures around 15C. I give them a
three month period at +2C. Then plant them out germinated or not. The
ones that had germinated will sprout their cotyledon shortly after being
planted out. The rest that are viable will sprout their cotyledon the
following spring. Thus they germinate through the summer, it seems like
this lily's seeds may require two cold periods before they will properly
germinate and sprout their cotyledon
IMMEDIATE
HYPOGEAL GERMINATION
The
following species seeds germinate as
immediate hypogeal. They will sprout their first true leaf within
the time frame given.
L.
brownii - 60 to 90
days.
L.
dauricum - 25 to 35
days.
L.
dauricum var. alpinum - 12 to 25 days. Once germinated these seedings
require dryer conditions than the type or they will be lost.
L.
maculatum var. bukozanense - 20 to 35
days.
IMMEDIATE
HYPOGEAL GERMINATION IN COOL CONDITIONS
The
following species seeds are immediate hypogeal cool germination. If held
at temperatures of 9 to 11C they will sprout their first true leaf
about 60 to 80 days after the seed has germinated and the bulblet is
well formed.. If held at warmer or colder temperatures the seeds may
never germinate but if they do the true leaf may never sprout. The
planting medium should be just moist, if it's to wet the seeds will
refuse to germinate. They should not be potted up until the true leaf is
sprouted and a root system has at least started to develop. These
species seeds which I have grown will
germinate as follows.
L.
bolanderi - 30 to 60 days
L.
columbianum - 30 to 60 days. Some
of it`s seeds will germinate as delayed hypogeal.
L.
humboldtii - 30 to 60
days.
L.
kelloggii - 35 to 90
days.
L.
pardalinum - 30 to 75
days.
L.
parryi - 45 to 80
days.
L.
pardalinum ssp.
pitkinense - 30 to 60
days.
L.
parvum - 30 to 60 days. Some of it`s seeds will germinate as delayed
hypogeal.
L.
rubescens - 40 to 80
days.
L.
washingtonianum 40 to 75
days.
L.
wigginsii - 30 to 70
days.
DELAYED
HYPOGEAL GERMINATION
The
following specie lilies are delayed hypogeal germination. They will
sprout their first true leaf only after a 3 month cold period. The true
leaf will be put up within a three week period from the time the bulblet
is planted out. It is well worth watching these seeds on a regular basis
as some may germinate as immediate hypogeal and the very odd one as
immediate epigeal. The species with this type of germination which I
have grown will germinate as follows.
L.
auratum 30 to 40 days
L.
bulbiferum - 30 to 40
days.
L.
bulbiferum var. croceum - 30 to 40 days with about 30 percent of the
seeds from most seed lots germinating as immediate hypogeal.
L.
canadense and it's varieties - 40 to 60
days.
L.
distichum - 20 to 30
days.
L.
hansonii - 25 to 35 days with the odd seed germinating as immediate
hypogeal.
L.
japonicum and it's varieties - 25 to 50
days.
L.
ledebourii - 40 to 60
days.
L.
martagon and it's varieties - 16 to 30 days. Many L.
martagon seed lots
from the same pod will have seeds that will germinate as immediate
hypogeal as well as delayed. From year to year the percentage of seeds
that germinate as immediate hypogeal has varied for me from a low of 1
percent to a high of 7 percent. They are well worth watching for as they
come to flower at least a year ahead of their siblings. Martagons will
even produce the odd seed that germinates as immediate epigeal.
L.
medeoloides - 25 to 35
days.
L.
michiganense - 40 to 60
days.
L.
monadelphum - 30 to 40 days. Some of these can be forced into immediate
epigeal if a couple weeks after germination they are potted up, with the
cotyledon exposed to light. It is hardly worth it as the loses are high.
Many of these seedlings have long cotyledons for a delayed hypogeal
germinating seed thus I had to try and force them into an epigeal
growing pattern.
L.
superbum - 30 to 60
days.
L.
szovitsianum - 50 to 80 days. The odd seed will germinate as immediate
hypogeal.
L.
tsingtauense - 25 to 35
days.
Darm
CROOK, Canada
|
