Cercis occidentalis (Western redbud) from seed

I have just found some seed pods on our redbud. Since they were supposed to be collected in fall, is there any chance they are still viable? Totally new to seed collecting here. :-)

Are there any signs if seeds are good/bad before planting them to see if they germinate?

Thanks.

Kathleen

They should be just fine. Go ahead and try to germinate them.

Thanks Equil. I found a culture sheet on a web site http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Fabaceae/Cercis_occidentalis.html (desert-tropicals - lol) that gives pre-planting treatment. Looks like they are not easy. I only have a few, but I'll give it a try.

That's a really nice link you found. Don't let what you read there intimidate you. Looks as if germinating Western Redbud is about the same as germinating Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis). Those seeds aren't that impermeable! You can do it a couple different ways. Although the seed coats do require scarification, it's really not that big of a deal. The boiling hot water they suggested would work but so would soaking them in sulfuric acid for about a half hour or taking a nail file to the seed coat. I think there are some people who have soaked them in grain alcohol and gotten them to germinate. Anyway, I find it much more difficult trying to mechanically scarify seeds because they are so darn small and I end up filing off my finger tips or the seed goes flying across the room. After you've scarified them any way you want, they're going to need cold stratification. Roll them up in a damp (not moist) paper towel. Seal them in a ziplock baggie and toss them in your frig for about 6 weeks. Then you could simply press them down in the ground a little bit and cover them with a little bit of top soil. This is going to sound strange but I've been using 2-liter pop bottles to mark where I'm germinating tree and shrub seed. I cut off the bottom and I cut off the top with a utility knife. Serves a dual purpose in that rabbits don't nibble them down flush with the ground and when I see the 2-liters sticking up I know not to week inside the pop bottles.

Psst, thanks for starting this thead. You reminded me that I have a little baggie of Redbud seed somewhere out in my car. It's been there since last fall and the last time I ran into it, I really meant to take it inside so I could start it but I forgot. It's still out there.

Thanks for the encouragement and added info. I will give a try!

Don't forget to post photos of your babies when they germinate.