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Tuesday - May 01, 2007

From: Leander, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Propagation
Title: Determining ripeness of seeds of Crotonn texensis
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Michael Eason

QUESTION:

How can I tell when the seeds of Croton texensis are "ripe"?

ANSWER:

Watch the fruit of Croton texensis (Texas croton) to determine when to collect the seed. When the cover of the seed capsule begins to look dry and lose its green color, the seeds are nearly ripe. You have to watch carefully because when the capsule dries and splits the seeds will disperse and be very difficult to find. You need to collect them before they dehisce. You can check the seeds by cutting them. If the endosperm is still milky, they are not mature. Generally, only one of the seeds in the Croton sp. capsule is fertile.

After you have collected them, you can store them in a paper bag until you plant them. For long term storage, dry them, then put them in a sealed container and store in the refrigerator.