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Dirca palustris

Eastern Leatherwood · Leatherwood · Moosewood

Family ThymelaeaceaeGenus Dirca

Pale yellow tubular flowers with long stamens hanging below furry, newly opened green bud scales on a bare twig
FlowerAlan WeakleyCC0
A plate of a branch with clusters of pale yellow tubular flowers opening before the leaves, above broad oval leaves on smooth twigs.
IllustrationUnknownPublic domain

About the plant

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

The plant

Habit
shrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, ShrubPLANTS Database
Height
4-6 ft1.2-1.8 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
4-6 ft1.2-1.8 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Gold/YellowExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
SpringExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS Database
Hardiness zones
3-9Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Dappled Sunlight; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, High Organic Matter, SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally WetExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

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; Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension.

Worth knowing

  • Leatherwood, for its tough, fibrous bark, which Native American tribes and later European settlers made into cordage. Palustris means of the marsh. Wikipedia: Dirca palustris

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 7, 2025.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  6. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  7. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  8. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 18 months from start to step 8. Germination happens during step 8, in 5 days.

100% germination in 5 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Dirca p. 39Public domain
Show the original text
Dirca (Thymelaceae). D. palustris seed was WC for 20 minutes and the outer coat removed. This seed germ. 70L(1/8 in 11th w) and 40-70-40-40-70-40- 70(2/2 on 5th d). None germ. in OT, and all rotted in 70 GA-3. Seeds DS an additional year all rotted. The seeds were received in July, and it is suspected that they were at least a year old and had largely died already.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Dirca p. 39. 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, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 18, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 77 days to germinate.

12% germination in 77 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Dirca p. 39Public domain
Show the original text
Dirca (Thymelaceae). D. palustris seed was WC for 20 minutes and the outer coat removed. This seed germ. 70L(1/8 in 11th w) and 40-70-40-40-70-40- 70(2/2 on 5th d). None germ. in OT, and all rotted in 70 GA-3. Seeds DS an additional year all rotted. The seeds were received in July, and it is suspected that they were at least a year old and had largely died already.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Dirca p. 39. 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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