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Aethionema grandiflorum

Persian Candytuft · Persian Stonecress

Family BrassicaceaeGenus Aethionema

Loose heads of pale pink flowers over narrow blue-green leaves
FlowerKurt Stüber [1]CC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

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

Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Flower
Pink, lilacWikipedia
Native range
Iran, Iraq, Transcaucasus, TürkiyeGBIF 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; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Persian stonecress grows on limestone slopes at 750 to 2,600 m from eastern Turkey to northern Iran. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Wikipedia: Aethionema grandiflorum

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 29, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 28, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 9 days.

92% germination — first up on day 7, then 50% a day.

Faster at 70, but far more of the seed comes up at 40. Deno prefers the cold route.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Aethionema p. 89Public domain
Show the original text
Aethionema (Brasslcaceae). A. grandiflorum germ. 40(92%, i. t 7 d, rate 50%/d) and 70(40-45%, md. t 2 d, rate 100%/d) using seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40. Although germination is faster at 70, the lowered percentage makes it preferable to use the D-40 pattern.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Aethionema p. 89. 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 Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    45% germinated in the first cycle at 70.

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

54% germination.

Fresh seed germinates over a long stretch: 45% in the first cycle at 70, 1% at 40, then 54% in the second cycle at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Aethionema p. 89Public domain
Show the original text
Fresh seed gave a long drawn out germination as shown by 70(45%)-40(1%)- 70(54%) and 40(23%)-70(15%).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Aethionema p. 89. 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 Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 5, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 4, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 3 days to germinate.

40% germination — first up on day 2, then 100% a day.

Much faster than the cold route but about half the seed.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Aethionema p. 89Public domain
Show the original text
Aethionema (Brasslcaceae). A. grandiflorum germ. 40(92%, i. t 7 d, rate 50%/d) and 70(40-45%, md. t 2 d, rate 100%/d) using seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40. Although germination is faster at 70, the lowered percentage makes it preferable to use the D-40 pattern.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Aethionema p. 89. 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 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    A further 15% germinated here.

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

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

23% germination.

A further 15% germinated after the shift to 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Aethionema p. 89Public domain
Show the original text
Fresh seed gave a long drawn out germination as shown by 70(45%)-40(1%)- 70(54%) and 40(23%)-70(15%).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Aethionema p. 89. 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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