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Frasera albicaulis

Cusick's Frasera · Modoc Frasera · White-stem Frasera · Whitestem Frasera

Family GentianaceaeGenus Frasera

Pale blue star-shaped flowers in a tight head, among narrow gray leaves edged white, on red soil
FlowerCheryl BeyerPublic domain

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 white, pale blue, medium blueFlora of North America
Native range
British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon 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; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Whitestem frasera, of the northwestern United States, grows in open mountain places from a woody base, with green leaves edged in white. Wikipedia: Frasera albicaulis

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 8, 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

    10 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 56 days.

50% germination in 28–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Frasera p. 143Public domain
Show the original text
Frasera (Gentianaceae). Germination extended over several cycles. Treatment with GA-3 was tried only on samples that had been subjected to a year of alternating 3 m cycles. There was no effect. F. albicaulis germ. 40(50% in 4-8 w)-70-40(10%) and 70-40(40% in 3-8 w)-70- 40(30%). Seeds placed outdoors in December germ. 33% in March. and 6% more the following March.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Frasera p. 143. 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 High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around November 10, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  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

    30 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 2 run on after germination.

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 56 days.

40% germination in 21–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Frasera p. 143Public domain
Show the original text
Frasera (Gentianaceae). Germination extended over several cycles. Treatment with GA-3 was tried only on samples that had been subjected to a year of alternating 3 m cycles. There was no effect. F. albicaulis germ. 40(50% in 4-8 w)-70-40(10%) and 70-40(40% in 3-8 w)-70- 40(30%). Seeds placed outdoors in December germ. 33% in March. and 6% more the following March.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Frasera p. 143. 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.

Sow around December 2026 — a date the source gives, not one counted back from a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Sown outdoors in December; up in March.

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 90 days to germinate.

33% germination in 90 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Frasera p. 143Public domain
Show the original text
Frasera (Gentianaceae). Germination extended over several cycles. Treatment with GA-3 was tried only on samples that had been subjected to a year of alternating 3 m cycles. There was no effect. F. albicaulis germ. 40(50% in 4-8 w)-70-40(10%) and 70-40(40% in 3-8 w)-70- 40(30%). Seeds placed outdoors in December germ. 33% in March. and 6% more the following March.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Frasera p. 143. 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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