Starting Osmanthus fragrans... from seed.

Is this something I want to embark upon? I hear these seeds normally take over a year to germinate, but don't know what conditions they require, or if there is a way to speed up the process.

Any advice would be most welcome...

germination of Osmanthus is difficult and slow according to "The Reference Manuel of Woody Plant Propagation'' The seed is hard. Stratification may not work. Seed probably needs to be chipped and soaked. Possibly soaked in sulfuric acid briefly then rinsed. There hasn't been enough study done on germination of Osmanthus.

Thank you very much. I think I'll do some little experiments and see what happens.

You might look into giving them cold stratification to hasten germination.

I know that they root easily if you decide to do cuttings. I found two large plants in the wooded area where we dump yard waste. They had rooted on their own from prunings. They were just buried under other leaves and prunings and took off. About 8 feet tall and skinny as a rail!


Robert.

www.jhudsonseed.net You should check out this website to see how giberellic acid can be used to germinate difficult seeds like Osmanthus. Frankford

Thank you. I do love jhudson: that's where I got the seeds. It's not one of the seeds they recommend GHA for, but maybe that's worth a shot.

Raydio, in zone 7??? Wow. Didn't know they'd do so well there...

Oops! Once again I have mis-identified a plant. I've sone that all week! I sincerely apologise.

What I was thinking of was Eleagnus pungens! They're not even close except that they both smell divine. I love the fragrance of it when it blooms in the cool evening air of fall.

But that's not what you were asking about......

O. Fragrans struggles with frost damage here too if not placed warmly. I had one for several years in a 20" pot and didn't give it any winter protection and it managed to do well for a time. I love the scent. De-licious!

I didn't have a place to bring it in so I kept it outside. If I had taken better care of it, I would still have it. I know. I was bad......So, little by little it kept getting cut back in winter and neglected a bit in summer and finally said good-bye.

So, I really have nothing to offer about seed-starting or cuttings. Again, I apologize for the confusion.

Robert.

Robert, apologize? Never! You've just introduced me to a new fragrant plant! E. pungens, here I come...

I do recommend giberellic acid as it is especially recommended for difficult to germinate plants!

I'll get some, frankford. Thank you!

Zeppy~

Glad you like the sound of "silverberry". The scent *is* heavenly

But, please, be forewarned:

the part about the garden pruning already being (over) eight feet tall is so true. They grow by leaps and bounds!!!!!!! Give it *PLENTY* of room or you'll be fighting to control forever more. BIG BIG BIG.

They make a late growth of long arching shoots late in the season, so if you've done spring pruning, you might have more to do later......

They're planted along Interstate 85 around cloverleaf interchanges and make HUGE mounding mountains of green which show one use for this thick-grower: You can make an impenetrable hedge out of them. When mature, you couldn't drive a transfer truck through them! Will definitely keep out unwanted visitors!

Here's a shot of the one in our side yard. It's been there at least 20 years. I cut it back massively last year. This is the smallest it has ever been since it was a young'in. I'll also post one of the "wildling".

So, if you want to enjoy the wonderful fragrance of a tough-as-nails plant, you'll love this one. Start training and pruning early, cause if it gets out-of-hand, it's a chore to bring it to heel.

I can send you some seeds when they ripen, if you'd like some. D-mail me.

Robert.

The silver berries.

Also, the bush is about 5.5 feet tall.

R.

The "cutting" that rooted in the wastepile. Some of it has been covered over with recent trash. No doubt it'll root as well!

R

Sounds good! If it's that hardy, I should put it into the chicken pen area: they need shrubbery that can withstand their scratching. :)