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Ilex monticola

Mountain Winterberry

Family AquifoliaceaeGenus Ilex

Leafy branches with clusters of small glossy red berries among oval, finely toothed leaves
FruitRebecca FanningCC0

About the plant

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

Habit
shrub or treePlants of the World Online

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Source: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Sow around March 2027 — a date the source gives, not one counted back from a May 3 last frost.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Sown outdoors in March; up in April.

7 days from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

27% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Ilex p. 155Public domain
Show the original text
Ilex (Aquifollaceae). This genus is notorious for poor and extended germination. All flex seed is enclosed in a berry and all were WC for 7 d. I. monticola seeds germ. best in outdoor treatments. Seeds WC 14 dand placed outdoors in March germ. 27% in April 2 y later. Germination was only 6% if the seeds had been WC 7 d. Seeds WC 7 d and placed outdoors in November germ. 21% in April 30 m later. Other treatments gave under 10% germination in 2 y of alternating cycles including treatment with GA-3, but germination in the 3rd y increased to 10-20%.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ilex p. 155. 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.

Sow around November 2027 — a date the source gives, not one counted back from a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on November 2026.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 7 days

    Washed and cleaned daily for 7 days.

  3. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Sown outdoors in November; up in April.

7 days from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

21% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Ilex p. 155Public domain
Show the original text
Ilex (Aquifollaceae). This genus is notorious for poor and extended germination. All flex seed is enclosed in a berry and all were WC for 7 d. I. monticola seeds germ. best in outdoor treatments. Seeds WC 14 dand placed outdoors in March germ. 27% in April 2 y later. Germination was only 6% if the seeds had been WC 7 d. Seeds WC 7 d and placed outdoors in November germ. 21% in April 30 m later. Other treatments gave under 10% germination in 2 y of alternating cycles including treatment with GA-3, but germination in the 3rd y increased to 10-20%.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ilex p. 155. 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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