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Erinus alpinus

Fairy Foxglove · Alpine Balsam · Liver Balsam

Family PlantaginaceaeGenus Erinus

Magenta five-petalled flowers with pale eyes above a rosette of toothed leaves at the foot of a rock
FlowerThomas MathisCC 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
Flower
Rose-pinkWikipedia
Native range
Algeria, Austria, Baleares, France, Italy, Morocco 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; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 25, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 11 days to germinate.

100% germination in 4–11 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Erinus p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Erinus (Scrophulariaceae). E. alpinus alba germ. 70D(100% in 4-11 d) similar to E. alpinus. Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(25% in 1-6 w) indicating a haff life of about 6 m. A sample DS 6 y germ. 70D(5% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Erinus p. 33. 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 High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 23, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on February 22, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to sowing. Then 42 days to germinate.

25% germination in 7–42 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Erinus p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Erinus (Scrophulariaceae). E. alpinus alba germ. 70D(100% in 4-11 d) similar to E. alpinus. Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(25% in 1-6 w) indicating a haff life of about 6 m. A sample DS 6 y germ. 70D(5% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Erinus p. 33. 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 Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 23, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 22, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

5% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Erinus p. 33Public domain
Show the original text
Erinus (Scrophulariaceae). E. alpinus alba germ. 70D(100% in 4-11 d) similar to E. alpinus. Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(25% in 1-6 w) indicating a haff life of about 6 m. A sample DS 6 y germ. 70D(5% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Erinus p. 33. 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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