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Cynoglossum amabile

Chinese Hound's Tongue · Chinese Hound's-toungue · Chinese Forget-me-not

Family BoraginaceaeGenus Cynoglossum

A spike of clear blue five-lobed flowers with white eyes, above soft gray-green leaves
FlowerForest & Kim StarrCC BY 3.0

About the plant

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

The plant

Habit
AnnualExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
annual or biennialPlants of the World Online
Height
1-2 ft30-60 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
0.7-1 ft20-30 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Blue, Pink, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Fall, Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
China North-Central, China South-Central, East Himalaya, Nepal, Thailand, TibetGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
6-9Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

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

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Chinese forget-me-not is closely related to the common garden forget-me-not and holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, such as amabiline, that can cause tumours. Wikipedia: Cynoglossum amabile

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around April 2, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 3 days to germinate.

100% germination in 2–3 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Cynoglossum p. 129Public domain
Show the original text
Cynoglossum (Boraginaceae). C. amabile germ either in 70L or 40D as shown by 70L(100% in 2-3 d), 40(70% in 4th w), and none in 70D. When the sample at 40 was shifted to 70, there was no further germination for one m. The seeds were then shifted to 70L whereupon the remaining 30% germ. in 2-3 d. The seeds in 70D were also shifted to 70L after one m whereupon they too germ. 100%.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Cynoglossum p. 129. 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 Low Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 28 days.

70% germination in 28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Cynoglossum p. 129Public domain
Show the original text
Cynoglossum (Boraginaceae). C. amabile germ either in 70L or 40D as shown by 70L(100% in 2-3 d), 40(70% in 4th w), and none in 70D. When the sample at 40 was shifted to 70, there was no further germination for one m. The seeds were then shifted to 70L whereupon the remaining 30% germ. in 2-3 d. The seeds in 70D were also shifted to 70L after one m whereupon they too germ. 100%.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Cynoglossum p. 129. 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

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing germinated at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Cynoglossum p. 129Public domain
Show the original text
Cynoglossum (Boraginaceae). C. amabile germ either in 70L or 40D as shown by 70L(100% in 2-3 d), 40(70% in 4th w), and none in 70D. When the sample at 40 was shifted to 70, there was no further germination for one m. The seeds were then shifted to 70L whereupon the remaining 30% germ. in 2-3 d. The seeds in 70D were also shifted to 70L after one m whereupon they too germ. 100%.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Cynoglossum p. 129. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record; 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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