Does anyone here have any experience growing Australian desert plants from seed?
I am experimenting with Duboisia hopwoodii( Pituri) seed propagation.
So far Ive made some Gibberellic acid concentrations: 1250 ppm, 1500 ppm, 1750 ppm, and 2000 ppm.
I don't have a scale so the solutions may be off but close.
I messed up a little when making the 1500 ppm which in turn was used to make the other two concentrations. ( I poured a little less than 1/4 tablespoon but then added a little more the next time to make up for it).
Besides that, it is really hard to accurately measure the water volume to make the 1000ppm and 2000ppm without being in a chemistry lab and i may of not gotten every last mole of Gibberellic acid(GA-3) powder put into the distilled water since some was stuck to the baggie it came in.
I am just hoping for germination results. According to the place I got the seeds: " Duboisia hopwoodii requires anywhere from 1000ppm to 2000ppm.
This is why I am trying various strengths.
I am soaking them 24 hours in the solutions listed above.
Does anyone know if smoke treated papers in addition to GA-3 might give even better results?
I know alot of meditteranean /chaparral/ desert plants germinate better when soaked in a smoke treated water.
All I can hope for is a few to germinate.
When I planted Kratom all I got was 1 seed to germinate which is fine with me since now I have a 1 foot tall seedling.
I am guessing Duboisia hopwoodii may even germinate if given 4 months of cold stratification since it is related( same family) to Atropa belladonna which needs either Ga-3 treatment or cold treatment.
Would it be safe to assume the higher the concentration of GA-3 needed the longer the time for cold stratification?
Northern kurrajong (Brachychiton diversifolius) is the only one I've grown from seed - at least I think it's from a desert part of the country. It was pretty straightforward - stick in dirt and keep moist. I have a plant that's several years old now and starting to form a nice caudex. Very cool looking plant.
I have one plant remaining right now.
This plant took 1500 ppm gibberellic acid ( estimated).
The lower strength didn't give any germination such as 1250ppm, while 2000ppm gave some but I think somewhere between 1400-1700 would be ideal.
I just hope it can handle growing in Florida. Im sure the heat won't bother it since it is a desert plant.
I am worried more about the humidity. I don't think the leaves are like Artemisias which do bad in high humidity areas.
Im wondering if Salvia apiana would do good here if I kept it in pots and managed to water it only when it is wilted?