Friday, March 15, 2013

Puya Mirabilis- A study in seed viability

These Puya Mirabilis seeds were sown, using my dome method, several weeks ago.
They were leftovers from late spring 2011, and sat in the hot garage last summer, until I located them.
The germination rate appears to be about 25%, and could climb higher over time.
 
All things considered, this is quite admirable, and demonstrates how well Puyas have adapted to the harsh conditions of the Andes.

1 comment:

  1. UPDATE:
    Even though some of the seeds germinated, they are not surviving as well as fresher seed. Apparently old seed lacks something that sustains them after germination.

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