Late Color - Part 2

» dayan - Japanese Maples

Hi Marge:

By fortuitous coincidence I just got my T&M catalogue and page 40 has Aceracea "Autumn Coloured Hybrids Mixed" and palmatum seeds available. Germination is "challenging," which can mean a lot of things. So how unstable am I to be thinking of ordering them?

One last thing, I haven't had foxgloves in years (too hot in Ont.) so I would like you to check my memory. The foliage on mine (on the north side-quite sheltered) has not died back yet. I had thought they keeled over as soon as serious frost hit. I am now wondering if this area is a warmer micrclimate or if I am mistaken in thinking that they died back relatively early.

PS thanks for the Amaryllis info.

-- posted by dayan

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» Marge_Talt - Japanese maples from seed & floxgloves

Hiya Karyn...been wondering how things were going with you.

Well, maple seed germination is challenging because they can have double dormancy and most all require pre-chilling/stratification; some are just plain difficult to germinate (only wish that applied to A. negundo [boxelder]). Some need to have the pericarp removed as well. My handy, dandy book on Seeds of Woody Plants in North America only mentions A. palmatum in a list of laboratory germination methods where it says prechill 120 days at 1-5C, remove pericarp; temp 20C for 21 days!

For some, namely suger maples, book says soaking in water for up to 14 days before pre-chilling is beneficial.

Now, Dirr says the following about A. palmatum: " In general, seed should be collected when green or red before it dries on the tree; it can be planted directly and should germinate the folloiwng spring; dried seed should be soaked in water at 110F for 2 days followed by stratification; dried seed from Japan when pretreated in a "normal" manner germinated over a 5 year period; seed that is collected green/red, cleaned, dusted with captan, stratified in moist peat for 90 to 150 days at 40F and sown should germinate."

My book also stated that seed can be sown outside in autumn for many species.

So....I think you might take a chance on it if you want to experiment and not get your hopes up too high that you will be having many lovely cutleaf maple trees dotting your landscape quickly :-)

Re foxgloves: My clumps of Digitalis purpurea are still fat and green and will remain that way all winter if it is mild. If winter gets severe, they will shrink back to their cores to leaf out in spring. They really prefer cool weather and a few frosts don't phase them in the least. So, your guy is doing fine. Could remain evergreen for you in a sheltered spot if winter isn't too hard this year.

-- posted by Marge_Talt

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» Sonni - Love those photos

Marge - thanks for your wonderful article and fantastic pictures of autumn leaves. Everytime I see the autumn leaves, I think of matching the colors and painting furniture or walls with those incredible shades.

I love Maple and Ginko (sp?). And some of those hydrangeas!

The bleakness is what I dislike the most. Up here on my terrace - bleakness means emptiness. This is the first year I have shapes, colors and LIFE up here. What a pleasure. Thought the only little autumn type leaves are from my hardy geraniums -- like in your pictures. Among the green leaves are pure yellows.

What a great way to preserve your leaves! Last year I used an acrylic water based sealer to past some wonderful autumn leaves onto a cigar box. I love looking at them -- the Polymar keeps them supple under the sealer so the color didn't fade at all.

Regards, Sonni

-- posted by Sonni

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