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Hesperochiron nanus

California Hesperochiron

Family BoraginaceaeGenus Hesperochiron

Also published as Hesperochiron californicus. You are in the right place.

White five-petalled flowers with dark anthers lying close to the soil among hairy, tongue-shaped leaves
FlowerWallace KeckPublic domain

About the plant

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

Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
WhiteRead from the photograph on this page
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 Database — USDA NRCS; Read from the photograph on this page — Deno's Garden.

Worth knowing

  • John Lindley first described this plant in 1824 as Nicotiana nana. It is now Hesperochiron nanus, in the waterleaf family. Wikipedia: Hesperochiron nanus

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

76% germination in 2–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Hesperochiron p. 48Public domain
Show the original text
Hesperochiron (Hydrophyllaceae). H. californicum germ. 70 GA-3(76% in 2 d-4 w), 70D(none), and 40(6%)-70D(53% in 1-4 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Hesperochiron p. 48. 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 Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 8, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    6 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

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

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 28 days.

53% germination in 7–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Hesperochiron p. 48Public domain
Show the original text
Hesperochiron (Hydrophyllaceae). H. californicum germ. 70 GA-3(76% in 2 d-4 w), 70D(none), and 40(6%)-70D(53% in 1-4 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Hesperochiron p. 48. 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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