China Seeds

[Roy Herold]

So how are those seeds we brought back from Yunnan doing for you folks?
I've heard from a number of poeple, and it sounds like most everything is
coming up just fine. There are one or two exceptions, however, the most
prominent of which is A. elephas (101907). There are strong indications
this one has a double dormancy, forming a root first, then top growth after
a cool period. I think Jim McClements has tried to hasten things along with
GA3. As for me, I'm lazy and tend to let others plant the seeds for me. I
was intrigued by A. elephas, however, and started a few for myself, but not
until the end of February. I poked around in the pots last weekend and each
seed I found had formed a little root, maybe a sixteenth of an inch long. I
have been giving them a little bottom heat, warming the soil up to 70F or
so. It will certainly be interesting to see who comes up with the first
blooming specimen. Even more intersting will be finding out what all those
'sp' really are.

--Roy Herold