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Abies religiosa

Oyamel Fir · Sacred Fir

Family PinaceaeGenus Abies

A tall fir with a mossy furrowed trunk in dense forest, above a bare scree slope falling away to a hazy sky.
The whole planthspauldiCC BY-SA 2.0

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
80-160 ft24-49 mNotes from web searches
Spread
20-50 ft6-15 mNotes from web searches
Native range
Guatemala, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
8-10Notes from web searches
Note
Cool, humid climateNotes from web searches

Growing conditions

Sun
Partial shade, direct sun after maturityNotes from web searches
Soil
Moist, free draining soilNotes from web searches
Soil pH
5.5-7Notes from web searches
Organic matter
HighNotes from web searches
Moisture
Even moisture, but not waterloggedNotes from web searches
Watering
Regular 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 monarch butterfly's preferred tree for its winter colonies in the mountains of Mexico. Oyamel comes from the Nahuatl oyametl. Wikipedia: Abies religiosa

Protocol

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    10 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

35% 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. religiosa 55% 6th , week 40(35%)-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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