Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Sunday - September 21, 2008
From: Sattler, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Propagation
Title: Starting desert willow from seeds
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Is it better to sow or start desert willow seeds in pots? If sowing is effective, is fall or spring the best time to sow in the Canyon Lake area of Central Texas?ANSWER:
According to Jill Nokes in How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest, although you can store seeds over the winter in the refrigerator to be planted in the spring, the seeds lose viability quickly so it is best to plant them indoors shortly after collecting them. Here is what she says about planting the seeds:
"Soaking the seeds in water for a few hours prior to sowing may improve germination...Scatter the seed thinly in the flat or in individual containers, but do not bury. Seeds need light to germinate...Seeds usually germinate within 1-3 weeks, and viability averages 40%."
She says that seedlings 4 inches long can be transplanted to one-gallon containers into a well-drained soil mix and grown in strong sunlight. Apply small amounts of fertilizer regularly, but don't apply heavy fertilizer. The plants can be transferred to the ground in the spring.
More Propagation Questions
Cold stratification of Rudbeckcia maxima from Birdeye AR
August 08, 2013 - How long do I cold stratify Rudbeckia maxima seeds that I wild harvested? Can I put them in the freezer instead of fridge?
Do I need to make sure they are completely dry before cold strat?
view the full question and answer
Growing Chile Pequin Indoors
December 09, 2015 - About a year ago I visited your page and as a result I planted 8 seeds in spring 2015 from a large Chile Pequin plant that came up wild in my Cedar Park home near Austin. The last harvest was late su...
view the full question and answer
Propagation of poinsettias in water from Houston
September 06, 2013 - Pointsettias - we have a broken branch that is thriving in a jar of water with new leaves and additional small branches. When we plant the stem in dirt and even a muck, the growth starts to wither.
...
view the full question and answer
Replacing hawthorn bush with muhly grass from Plano TX
April 10, 2014 - I am thinking of replacing a hawthorn bush with a muhly grass plant or two in an edged area with river rock cover in Plano, texas. It is the black soil and not a sandy loam. We have a sprinkler syst...
view the full question and answer
Long term storam of Lupinus arboreus seeds
July 21, 2007 - Hi - I was wondering what the best way to store lupine seeds (for long-term storage and maximum viability) is? I am a graduate student at Berkeley studying Lupinus arboreus. We have been storing seeds...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |