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Astrantia major

Astrantia · Greater Masterwort · Mountain Sanicle · Great Masterwort · Masterwort

Family ApiaceaeGenus Astrantia

Also published as Astrantia involucrata. You are in the right place.

A domed head of tiny white florets with dark anthers, ringed by pointed white bracts veined green and pink
FlowerAudrius MeskauskasPublic domain
White pincushion flower heads, each ringed by pointed papery bracts veined with green
FlowerStefan.lefnaerCC 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
Greenish-whiteWikipedia
Native range
Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czechia-Slovakia, France 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; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Major, larger, sets it apart from its smaller relative Astrantia minor. It grows well in gardens given some shade and moisture. Wikipedia: Astrantia major

Two sources report 5 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 28, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 27, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 70 days.

85% germination in 56–70 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Astrantia p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Astrantia (Apiaceae). Larger samples of A. major germ. 70D-40(85% in 8-10 w) and 40(10%)-70D(55% in 1 -4 d). Light had no significant effect. Samples of A. major and A. major rubra DS 3 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Astrantia p. 16. 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, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

    10 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 4 days.

55% germination in 1–4 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Astrantia p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Astrantia (Apiaceae). Larger samples of A. major germ. 70D-40(85% in 8-10 w) and 40(10%)-70D(55% in 1 -4 d). Light had no significant effect. Samples of A. major and A. major rubra DS 3 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Astrantia p. 16. 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, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around May 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on April 30, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

    27 germinated in this phase.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    7 germinated in this phase.

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

  5. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

    8 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 4 run on after germination.

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 70 days.

50% germination in 56–70 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Astrantia p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Astrantia (Apiaceae). Larger samples of A. involucrata germ. 70D-40(27% in 6-8 w)-70D(7%)-40(50% in 8-10 w)-70(8%) and 40-70-40(30% in 8-12 w)-70(25% in 5-9 d)-40(45% in 12th w). Light and GA-3 had no effect. The 3 m at 70 was necessary before the germination at 40.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Astrantia p. 16. 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, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

    30 germinated in this phase.

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

    25 germinated in this phase.

  5. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

about 12 months from start to step 5. Germination happens during step 5, in 84 days.

45% germination in 84 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Astrantia p. 16Public domain
Show the original text
Astrantia (Apiaceae). Larger samples of A. involucrata germ. 70D-40(27% in 6-8 w)-70D(7%)-40(50% in 8-10 w)-70(8%) and 40-70-40(30% in 8-12 w)-70(25% in 5-9 d)-40(45% in 12th w). Light and GA-3 had no effect. The 3 m at 70 was necessary before the germination at 40.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Astrantia p. 16. 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 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 11, 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

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    1/7 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 84 days.

14% germination in 84 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Astrantia p. 105Public domain
Show the original text
Astrantia (Apiaceae). A. major germ. 40(1/7 in 12th w)-70-40-70(1/7).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Astrantia p. 105. 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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