When do I collect seeds from jewels of opar?

I have a jewels of Opar full of seeds right now when do I collect them? They are a orange/yellow color right now should they be a certain color before collecting them? I dont want them to drop and reseed where the plant is now.

This is my first year for my Opar also, so I just waited to see how the seeds would dry on the plant. They go from the orange to a papery brown color. When you pinch the seed head, it will burst open with lots of little seeds inside.

Just wait for it to turn brown.

Donna

thanks very much! Do you know if it is easy to start these from seed? I just really love the look of this plant.

I can't say for sure, but from what I have read, they will reseed easily.

I started some inside last spring, 6 weeks BLF, and they did fine. I've also heard they self-sow readily, so you could probably just direct sow them in GA (fall or winter sow on bare ground).

May not be in your zone, but here in 8, they are a huge pest. I love them because my grandmother gave them to me over 30 years ago, but they reseed so heavily that they are considered a weed here.

Larkie

WOW really? I havent seen any in peoples yards or anything...I picked it up half dead from the Lowes clearance table for I think .50 and we put it in the ground and it was just a cute little shrub then the pink things started growing and I really like it now!

It has never been a hard plant to take care of and with sooo many seeds hangging from it right now I think I can see how it could just start growing so easy and become a problem!

But like I said I havent seen any around this part before didnt even know what they were before I bought this one and looked it up online. Thanks for the heads up though!

I've grown these from seed for 3 years. They are really easy and so cute. I haven't seen them for sale anywhere and around here traditional bedding plants rule the garden centers. I bought mine from T&M. They have been a reseeding problem simply because they are one a patio in pots. I wish I could buy plants though, sometimes the waiting is the hardest part:)

Dmac....when you start them from seeds how do you do it? Do you start them in the house? Or start them outside right now?

Looking for info on these, too. Neighbor just gave me a couple cuttings of the Jewels of Opar and one of the variegated variety. Start the cuttings in water or can they go right into a compost-filled pot?

The Jewels of Opar are blooming with their lovely pink little flowers (no scent). The Variegated Jewels of Opar have an insignificant (?) blossom already gone to the little seed balls you mention. But no seeds are left.

Each little ball is filled with tons of tiny, tiny seeds..

Larkie

How long does it take for them to be ready for me to pick the little balls of seeds off the plant? They are still a orange yellow color and still tons of them all over it!

I can't imagine you will have any trouble with these seeds. They are a pretty pest in my garden. I have already had several generations of seeds self sow. They will really fill up a bare spot quickly. Mine have have yellow/green leaves (might be called Limelight) and the tiny flowers and seeds really show up against the bright background.

dmac, I bought my original plant at that bbig nursery in Sanford.

Mine is the same color as yours.....the lighter color with the darker color.

And the little pink stalks withthe flowers show up really well. I like them alot better then hastas because you still have the greenery but the stalks are prettier to me anyways.....

I bought one with gold leaves at a plant sale about 15 years ago and only grew it 2 years before realizing that it's a seed making machine. I still have 20 or 30 sprouting every year from seed and I have not let them go to seed for 13 years. Pretty, but be sure you want them.

Susan

I have the solid green ones, and so far its all I can do to keep it growing. Do y'all have yours in full sun? I'd love to have more, especially in the areas where I've got daffs so they can cover up the bare soil.

I have mine in full sun and when I noticed a few seed pods getting ready I cut the stems off with all the seeds in them and then opened them all up to collect the seeds! (not an easy or fun job).
I only have 1 right now...and it sits in my flower bed just fine.

I plan to start a bunch more for around the yard when I give these seeds a try

I agree with Susan,
Be sure you want them.. Invasive here in sw GA is not the word..lol

Larkie