Leptospermum seed germination

[Mickeyjaytee]

Hey all,

I thought I’d pop this up to ask what techniques people are using to get specific lepto varieties to germinate. While my timing is off, I did manage to get Lanigerum and Petersonii to germinate using the bog method. All on a day of 40 degrees they popped their little heads up

I have rupestre, nitens, nitidum, glaucescens and rotundifolium also in the bog method at the moment (mainly due to the heatwave in Perth right now and fear of them drying out) but, nothing so far

In the past I’ve managed to get flavescens, laevigatum and erubescens to germinate with the latter requiring smoke treatment and two former, just sowed on the top of the soil.

The ones I can’t get to germinate are rotundifolium, and the ones I really want, glaucescens and rupestre. I’ve tried a few times and nothing. Both may be difficult being from tassie in the mountains and myself in hot coastal Perth (I still managed to germinate the Rocky Mountain juniper so I refuse to give up).

Does anyone have some advice for those three specifically galucescens and rupestre? I love those tea trees and saw so many awesome shapes and growth habits on my hiking trip in tassie around cradle mountain and freycinet (honourable mention to the tanglefoot beech, I’ve attached the best pic I took).

Love my leptos and am experimenting with some locals being erubescens and spinescens but, can’t really find the eastern states leptos unless it’s some kind of hybrid at a nursery, Obvatum “lemon bun” for example (Would love to get my hands on a Obvatum) or, I some how manage to find the seed which is what I’ve been doing.

Anyway, any help would be awesome and advice/care on growing leptos would be an absolute bonus for me too!

Thanks everyone, stay cool

[Scott Roxburgh]

In light of the Six-Year Australian Native Bonsai from Seed Competition, I'd be keen to see what techniques people are using to germinate Leptospermum seed.

[treeman]

In light of the Six-Year Australian Native Bonsai from Seed Competition, I'd be keen to see what techniques people are using to germinate Leptospermum seed.

Use a standard potting mix in a pot, top the last cm with vermiculite, soak well and flatten any uneven spots with a block of wood, sow seeds (thinly), cover with a piece of glass and place in semi shade.

[DaveZ]

I'm usually rough as guts. Standard seed raising mix in 50mm pots or seedling trays, whatever I've got laying around. Sprinkle seeds on top then sort of stir the top around with my finger a bit. My theory is that some seed will be buried, some will remain on top, surely some will like where they ended up and germinate for me. I've been pretty successful with rotundifolium, juniperum, scoparium, and one other that escapes me at the moment. I just thin them out once they get going a bit.

[shibui]

The common leptos are easy to germinate. Some of the rarer species and those from different climates (desert or tropical) may be a bit more difficult.
I also use a standard potting mix as a base but seed raising mix is also a good choice. Just make sure your potting mix is not too open (large particle) Lepto seed is very small and many may fall through the cracks and end up too deep to grow in a really open mix.
Vermiculite topping is standard commercial practice. It does not set hard and holds moisture well but is not essential if you manage watering and don't let your germinating seeds dry out. I usually just dust about 5-6mm of fines sifted from the potting mix over the top of the potting mix and some over the seeds after sowing instead of vermiculite.
The 'Bog method' is a tried and good method for germinating lots of seed and works very well with most Lepto species. - https://resources.austplants.com.au/sto ... ve-plants/

[Mickeyjaytee]

Hey, I finally got some bloody replies

After trying myself I found the bog method to definitely be best for lepto germination. I have found that no matter what I try glaucescens just will not germinate. Most likely due to it being a Tasmanian species and here’s me over in hot, dry Perth. Lanigerum germinated the easiest I would say however, it does not do well (at least for me) in Perth and most die off after getting to around 12cms high or so.

Decided to stick with the local species (erubescens and sericeum) and they do great. Looking forward especially to sericeum. Lovely greyish foliage and purple flowers.

Best of luck with the comp!

[shibui]

For species that won't germinate try pre treatment(s)
Species from cold mountain areas have often developed inhibitors that prevent seed from germinating early and thus being at risk through a cold winter. Many need stratification - a cold, damp period before they'll germinate. Seed is typically mixed with damp sand or sawdust in a plastic bag and kept in the fridge for 2-3 months before sowing.
The other common seed treatment for recalcitrant seed is smoke. Some Australian species are adapted to bushfires and the seeds need the chemicals in smoke to trigger germination. You can buy 'smoke water' or sachets of smoked vermiculite or sow the seeds then put the damp trays in a container with some smouldering twigs and leaves for around 20 minutes. I've had good results with smoke treated seeds of Anigizanthus and a few other smoke dependant seeds. More methods if you search smoke treatment for native seeds.

Germinating seeds is fascinating and rewarding but some of the tricky species can be frustrating. Good luck with finding some that work.

[Mickeyjaytee]

For species that won't germinate try pre treatment(s)
Species from cold mountain areas have often developed inhibitors that prevent seed from germinating early and thus being at risk through a cold winter. Many need stratification - a cold, damp period before they'll germinate. Seed is typically mixed with damp sand or sawdust in a plastic bag and kept in the fridge for 2-3 months before sowing.
The other common seed treatment for recalcitrant seed is smoke. Some Australian species are adapted to bushfires and the seeds need the chemicals in smoke to trigger germination. You can buy 'smoke water' or sachets of smoked vermiculite or sow the seeds then put the damp trays in a container with some smouldering twigs and leaves for around 20 minutes. I've had good results with smoke treated seeds of Anigizanthus and a few other smoke dependant seeds. More methods if you search smoke treatment for native seeds.

Germinating seeds is fascinating and rewarding but some of the tricky species can be frustrating. Good luck with finding some that work.

Thanks for the reply mate! I didn’t even consider cold strat for Aussie natives but, this makes a lot of sense. I’ll give it a shot. Hopefully if they germinate, they can deal with the dry heat of summer. I do have some smoke water so I’ll try that too.

Cheers mate, I appreciate it