Red Bud Tree seed

Does anyone know how to grow red bud trees from seed? I just collected a ton of them. Thanks.

Oh, my! In my yard, if they come into contact with dirt, they sprout! I can't get rid of them, I have so many!

I would think that you would lightly cover with soil and water! If that doesn't work... contact me in the spring and I can pull up hundreds for you! =D

This message was edited Oct 18, 2005 3:17 PM

lol. Thanks! I got these from a park. I hope they grow.

They need double stratification...that means two freeze/thaw cycles....the seedlings that sprout in your yard are from seeds that fell two falls ago. In nature, they go through two winters before they germinate.

Melody, do you have a link explaining this? I know that pine tree seeds act this way but I want to learn more from red bud since I just acquired some seeds too and do not want to lose them to my inexperience!

zarcanat

I have been growing redbuds from seed for the past 6 years, and I violate the double stratification principle. I collect them from my trees after the pods have turned brown, but before they fall to the ground. I put them in Ziplock bags while they are completely dry and store them in a refrigerator I have in our garage for chilling plant material. Some recommend putting some moist (not wet) peat in with the seedpods, but I don't because one year I tried it with a small bag and my seeds rotted (peat too moist). I leave them in the refrigerator until the temperature outside is warm enough for them. This year I really was lazy and I just dumped them into the bottom third of a bag of STA-GREEN nursery blend planting medium (the top 2/3rds had been cut off the bag, so the bag was open) and kept it in a filtered shady area. At one time I would assist the seeds by opening the seed pod, but I realized in nature they don't have any help, so I just waited until the pods opened naturally. I removed the pods and ran my finger down the opened pod so the seeds fell into the planting medium. I then just smoothed them out in the bag with my hand. I kept the medium moist with my normal sprinkling of all the other cuttings and acorns that I propogate, and later put the seedlings into one gallon nursery pots. I know this sounds messy, and you do have to gently separate the roots of the seedlings which are jammed together in the bag, but it works here in central Alabama. By the way, the seedpods are in the refrigerator for a minimum of 120 days. I am not recommending that everyone violate what the researchers have discovered through scientific study, but this process works for me. Ray