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Adonis vernalis

False Hellebore · Spring Adonis · Spring Pheasant's Eye

Family RanunculaceaeGenus Adonis

Two bright yellow many-petalled flowers with dense yellow centers, above finely divided feathery foliage
FlowerMartin BahmannCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

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

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
YellowFlora of North America
Native range
Altay, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, Chita and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

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; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 14, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 112 days.

3% germination in 70–112 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Adonis p. 88Public domain
Show the original text
Adonis (Ranunculaceae). Adonis divides into two groups. A. vernalis gives a rare self sown seedling here. The two examples of germination to date were 40(3% in 10-16 w) with fresh seed and 70-40(1/41 in 8th w) in a sample DS 6 m at 70. Three samples were crushed and found to be 80%, 96%, and 98% empty seed coats.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Adonis p. 88. 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.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 56 days to germinate.

2% germination in 56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Adonis p. 88Public domain
Show the original text
Adonis (Ranunculaceae). Adonis divides into two groups. A. vernalis gives a rare self sown seedling here. The two examples of germination to date were 40(3% in 10-16 w) with fresh seed and 70-40(1/41 in 8th w) in a sample DS 6 m at 70. Three samples were crushed and found to be 80%, 96%, and 98% empty seed coats.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Adonis p. 88. 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.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around November 10, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 56 days.

2% germination in 56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Adonis p. 88Public domain
Show the original text
Adonis (Ranunculaceae). Adonis divides into two groups. A. vernalis gives a rare self sown seedling here. The two examples of germination to date were 40(3% in 10-16 w) with fresh seed and 70-40(1/41 in 8th w) in a sample DS 6 m at 70. Three samples were crushed and found to be 80%, 96%, and 98% empty seed coats.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Adonis p. 88. 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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