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Herbertia lahue

Prairie Nymph · Prairienymph

Family IridaceaeGenus Herbertia

A pale lilac three-petalled flower with a purple-and-white speckled center and yellow stamens, among grass
FlowerJason HollingerCC BY 2.0

About the plant

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

Habit
bulbous geophytePlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
Bluish purple, violetFlora of North America
Native range
Argentina Northeast, Brazil South, Chile Central, UruguayGBIF 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.

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 9, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on February 8, 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 56 days to germinate.

100% germination in 56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Trifurcia p. 65Public domain
Show the original text
Trifurcia (Iridaceae). T. lahue caerulea germ. 70L(100% in 5-18 w) and 70D(none). When the sample in 70D was shifted to 70L after 9 w, 15% germ. in the 6th w. A prior 3 m at 40 did hot change this light requirement, but germination was reduced from 100% to 40%. Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(100% in 8th w) and 70L(1/20). When the sample in 70L was shifted to 70D after 10 w, 2/20 germ. in 3rd w. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 90% in 2nd w if placed 10 w in 70L and then shifted to 70D, and none germ. directly in 70D. The results are so confusing that the experiments need to be repeated.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Trifurcia p. 65. 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 Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around November 30, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 126 days to germinate.

100% germination in 35–126 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Trifurcia p. 65Public domain
Show the original text
Trifurcia (Iridaceae). T. lahue caerulea germ. 70L(100% in 5-18 w) and 70D(none). When the sample in 70D was shifted to 70L after 9 w, 15% germ. in the 6th w. A prior 3 m at 40 did hot change this light requirement, but germination was reduced from 100% to 40%. Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(100% in 8th w) and 70L(1/20). When the sample in 70L was shifted to 70D after 10 w, 2/20 germ. in 3rd w. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 90% in 2nd w if placed 10 w in 70L and then shifted to 70D, and none germ. directly in 70D. The results are so confusing that the experiments need to be repeated.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Trifurcia p. 65. 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 High Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 28 days.

18% germination in 28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Alophia p. 12Public domain
Show the original text
Alophia (Iridaceae). Although light blocks germination, the rate and the percent germination in 70D are improved by a prior period of 8 w in 70L in both of the species studied. This is another version of the delayed light effects discussed earlier. A. lahue germ. 70D(2/11 in 4th w)-40-70D and 70L(none). When the sample in 7ÖL was shifted to 70D after 8 w, 100% (11/11) germ. on the 7th d. When the sample from 70D-40-70D was shifted to 70L for 2 m and then returned to 70D, 1/11 germ. in the 2nd w.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Alophia p. 12. 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, 1998

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

Start around March 16, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 15, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 12 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

5% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Trifurcia p. 65Public domain
Show the original text
Trifurcia (Iridaceae). T. lahue caerulea germ. 70L(100% in 5-18 w) and 70D(none). When the sample in 70D was shifted to 70L after 9 w, 15% germ. in the 6th w. A prior 3 m at 40 did hot change this light requirement, but germination was reduced from 100% to 40%. Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(100% in 8th w) and 70L(1/20). When the sample in 70L was shifted to 70D after 10 w, 2/20 germ. in 3rd w. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 90% in 2nd w if placed 10 w in 70L and then shifted to 70D, and none germ. directly in 70D. The results are so confusing that the experiments need to be repeated.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Trifurcia p. 65. 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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