Growing Tropaeolum Speciosum from seed?

Discussion in 'Vines and Climbers' started by dehor, Mar 22, 2007.

  1. dehor

    dehor Member

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    Has anyone here successfully grown Tropaeolum speciosum Flame Flower , and can you tell me precisely how you did it? Step by step?

    Thanks in advance,

    Deborah
    Maple Ridge, BC
     
  2. 81044

    81044 Active Member

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    I have purchased some seeds from J.L. Hudson, Seedsman,p.o. box 337 La Honda California,... when I asked how to germinate them they said "We have not been able to develop any reliable method of germinating it. It is *very* difficult. Try 3 weeks arm then cold, leave 12 weeks or more, cold temps." when I asked them to define warm and cold they said "warm=around 70 degrees F.. cold generally means around 40 degrees F. Please let us know if you get any germination".
    Sorry that is all the advice I have...Apparently Park and Tilford gardens in North Vancouver has one growing there..but the link to their email doesn't work. If you find out anything I'd appreciate it if you could pass it along to me as well...thanks
     
  3. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    I tried to grow the seeds with no success. But they had six or so of them at the UBC perennial plant sale this year and I was one of the first in the lineup in order to get one - I resisted the temptation to buy more than one as insurance, since it seemed immoral inasmuch as others surely wanted them. Although the weather here has been quite dreadful, it has so far climbed about 1 foot up the stakes...
     
  4. 81044

    81044 Active Member

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    Thanks very much for the information. So germination is possible? --or did you purchase a plant? If a seed did you just plant it outside or inside? Thanks again.
     
  5. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    I tried seeds, bought from Thompson and Morgan, two years ago. I went through all the hot-cold-whatever steps that they recommended, then after something like 8 months with no sign of life I gave up. It was a plant that I bought this year. I tried to get one at the perennial plant sale last year, but although it was on the list it was not present - either there had never been any, or else whatever they had was already gone. That is why I was about #5 in line this year.

    But I may have given up too early. One of my species begonia seeds has just germinated after about 22 weeks.
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2008
  6. 81044

    81044 Active Member

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    thanks:) I have a few seeds so maybe I'll split them up and try a few different methods and just see what happens...If not maybe I'll see you at the sale next year ..I'll be #4 in line!!!
     
  7. Debby

    Debby Active Member 10 Years

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    I wonder if the sweet-pea-starting method would work: put the seeds into a sandwich box lined with wet (very moist) paper towelling; keep the container indoors and watch for germination (little root poking out); then plant each seed in sterile mix, perhaps in a peat pot to avoid root disturbance when finally planting out into the garden...
     
  8. 81044

    81044 Active Member

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    thanks..I WILL try that with a few of them...but I think it takes up to a year to germinate...and they recommend an cool period..so I might just wrap it and put it in the fridge...
     
  9. mommum

    mommum Member

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    I have tried seeds too without sucess:(
    I had a handful of seed fresh sent to me last fall. I potted them up right away and kept them mosit in the house. Later in Dec I read about the possible need for cold so I put them outside on the deck very near the house. I have geraniums there that stay green so it is close to freezing but doesn't freeze. I am still watering that pot but no luck with any germinating. I did have a few Bomarea that finally sprouted after a whole year:) Who knows if the tropaeolum will ever sprout. I guess I will try again.
    I am on Vancouver Island and don't get to the lovely plant sales your so lucky to line up for:)

    Bea
     
  10. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    I should have bought them all and then scalped them.
     
  11. mommum

    mommum Member

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    Ha ha... wished you had I would be in that line up:)

    Bea
     
  12. 81044

    81044 Active Member

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    soccerdad you could have bought them ALL and sold them and retired to your new condo in the tropics....
     
  13. plantgirl26

    plantgirl26 Member

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    I just sent in a sample of a unknown plant from my grandpa's garden to the WSU Extension for identification. I found out yesterday that it was a Tropaeolum Speciosum. It has been in the family for 90 years. It has moved 5 times and currently is intertwined with a clematis. Anyways they have tryed to sprout the seeds and nothing has worked. The only way that woked was to split the tuber and plant it. I don't know if this will help you at all, but their plant is in bone dry soil with no fertilizer. It is doing great there. I don't know if you could try to stress the seeds for a breif period of time or what. Good luck!
     
  14. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    I did not think that it would be warm enough in Seattle for the plant to live outdoors all year.
     
  15. 81044

    81044 Active Member

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    I know it does in Vancouver BC
     
  16. plantgirl26

    plantgirl26 Member

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    It dies back around october and is currently just beginning to bloom. It seems to do well here.
     
  17. Narcisuss

    Narcisuss Member

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    Milner Gardens in Qualicum beach has one that is in bud right now. It has also self-seeded. It has also been sucessfully grown from seed, but it took 2 years.
     
  18. lilydude

    lilydude Member

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    1. Clean the pulp off the seeds.
    2. Sow in peat/perlite mix. Keep moist and warm for a couple of months. Do not expose to temperatures above 85F or direct sun.
    3. Cold treatment at 40-45F for several months.
    4. If they don't germinate, repeat the warm/cold cycle.

    Never let the sowing mix dry out. It may help to enclose the pot in a sealed plastic bag. Once they germinate, it will take several years before they are big enough to flower. They need something to climb on. A big tomato cage would be OK. I water them frequently during the summer. They grow well in my garden in SW Washington state in a very cool microclimate. They like my sandy loam soil. I don't think they would do well in heavy clay loam. To bloom well, they need some sun. I fertilize them every month or so with ordinary NPK fertilizer.

    I have a theory that you could sow them in the open ground in cool, moist soil, mulch it well, and wait. It might take two years, but I'll bet they come up. Don't let the soil dry out.
     
  19. lilydude

    lilydude Member

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    I sowed about 20 of them on 11/15/12, and followed the steps in the previous post. Three have germinated, and I expect more next Spring. I am growing them on in bands, and they are growing like weeds.
     
  20. lilydude

    lilydude Member

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    Last edited: Apr 27, 2014
  21. lilydude

    lilydude Member

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    Here is a photo:
     

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  22. Debby

    Debby Active Member 10 Years

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    The seedlings look great! Congratulations! Do you have a nice hedge to let them climb?
     
  23. lilydude

    lilydude Member

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    They'll climb on just about anything. I've seen them on chain link fence, and I've trained them onto a tomato cage. Hedges are good too, but not if they are too greedy for water and nutrients. The Tropaeolum needs moist soil.
     
  24. sarahh

    sarahh New Member

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    Hi Lilydude,

    I just got some T. speciosum seeds and would like to follow your advice on sowing them, as you have been successful, but I have a couple of questions:
    1. What depth did you sow them?
    2. I was thinking of just sowing them and putting them out now (January) in my mostly unheated greenhouse (kept above freezing). You said in your 4/13/14 post that yours were "given winter and summer temperatures", so if I just leave them in the greenhouse, they'll get the seasonal temperature change. Is that what you did?

    thanks,
    sarahh
     

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