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Abies recurvata

Min Fir

Family PinaceaeGenus Abies

Bright yellow-green new needles radiating around a small resinous red-brown bud at a shoot tip
LeafTilo PodnerCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
treePlants of the World Online
Habit
Coniferous, TreeNotes from web searches
Height
50-200 ft15-61 mNotes from web searches
Spread
20-40 ft6-12 mNotes from web searches
Native range
China North-Central, China South-CentralGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
6-9Notes from web searches
Note
Cool, temperate climateNotes from web searches

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun to shadeNotes from web searches
Soil
Well-drained, moist soilNotes from web searches
Soil pH
5-7Notes from web searches
Organic matter
HighNotes from web searches
Moisture
Moist but not waterloggedNotes from web searches
Watering
Regular to occasional wateringNotes from web searches

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Notes from web searches — Amir Abed; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • The Min fir, found only in China, is usually recognized by the needles on its leading shoots, which are mostly curved back. It grows in the drier, colder north of central China, often on windy cliffs or in deep river valleys. Wikipedia: Abies recurvata

Protocol

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    5 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

10% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Abies p. 10Public domain
Show the original text
Abies (Pinaceae). Grateful acknowledgement is made to Schumacher Seed Company of MA for a gift of fifteen species of this genus. All fifteen germ. at 70D albeit somewhat slowly with germination taking place in 5-10 weeks. Some gave slightly greater percent germination with light or in a 40-70D pattern, but, GA-3, OS, or OT had no significant effects. Some germ. at 40. A significant number of the seeds rotted indicating ,that they were dead.'but there was no simple way of detecting such seeds from outward appearance nor of separating them. The seeds of all .fifteen species were largely viable and producing healthy seedlings. SUMMARY OF RESULTS ON FIFTEEN SPECIES OF ABIES Species ' Germination in 70D 40-70D Results ((cc)) Percent Time A. recurvata 45% 6th week 40(5%)-70 (10%) 0
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Abies p. 10. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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