Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Frasera speciosa

Elkweed

Family GentianaceaeGenus Frasera

A stout green and white flower spike rising from a rosette of broad wavy blue-green leaves
The whole plantMike ClineCC0

About the plant

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

Habit
monocarpic perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
Pale yellowish greenFlora of North America
Native range
Native to the lower 48 statesPLANTS Database

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.

Worth knowing

  • It flowers once and dies, but may live for many years before it does: flowering plants average about 40 years old, and some live more than 80. Plants in an area bloom together. Wikipedia: Frasera speciosa
  • Thomas Walter named the genus in 1788 for the plant collector John Fraser. Other names include elkweed and monument plant. Wikipedia: Frasera speciosa

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high 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 April.

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

5% germination.

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. speciosa placed outdoors in December germ. 5% in April and an additional 20% a year later. Seeds also germ. 40(1%)-70-40(0.5%)70(2%) and 70-40-70- 40(1%). . ,.
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 Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

2% germination.

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. speciosa placed outdoors in December germ. 5% in April and an additional 20% a year later. Seeds also germ. 40(1%)-70-40(0.5%)70(2%) and 70-40-70- 40(1%). . ,.
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 Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 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

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

1% germination.

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. speciosa placed outdoors in December germ. 5% in April and an additional 20% a year later. Seeds also germ. 40(1%)-70-40(0.5%)70(2%) and 70-40-70- 40(1%). . ,.
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 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 19, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 18, 2026.

  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

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

1% germination.

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. speciosa placed outdoors in December germ. 5% in April and an additional 20% a year later. Seeds also germ. 40(1%)-70-40(0.5%)70(2%) and 70-40-70- 40(1%). . ,.
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

Add to My Garden

View species page