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Kalmia procumbens

Alpine Azalea · Trailing Azalea

Family EricaceaeGenus Kalmia

A dense mat of small pink star flowers over tiny green leaves and rusty spent capsules
FlowerKim HansenCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

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

Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Flower
PinkRead from the photograph on this page

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; Read from the photograph on this page — Deno's Garden.

Worth knowing

  • Alpine azalea is a dwarf shrub of high mountains, usually no more than 10 cm tall. Linnaeus named it Azalea procumbens, and it was later called Loiseleuria procumbens after the French botanist Loiseleur-Deslongchamps. Wikipedia: Kalmia procumbens

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

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

  2. Warm moist stratification

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

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

62% germination in 14–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Loiseleuria p. 55Public domain
Show the original text
Loiseleuria (Ericaceae). L. procumbens germ. 70L(30% in 5-8 w), 70 GA-3(33% in 6th w), 70D(none), 40-70L(62% in 2-4 w), 12% in May in outdoor treatment, and 40-70D(none). A 3 m DS at 70 had no effect on the germination in 70L, but seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Loiseleuria p. 55. 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 February 22, 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 42 days to germinate.

33% germination in 42 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Loiseleuria p. 55Public domain
Show the original text
Loiseleuria (Ericaceae). L. procumbens germ. 70L(30% in 5-8 w), 70 GA-3(33% in 6th w), 70D(none), 40-70L(62% in 2-4 w), 12% in May in outdoor treatment, and 40-70D(none). A 3 m DS at 70 had no effect on the germination in 70L, but seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Loiseleuria p. 55. 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, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 56 days to germinate.

30% germination in 35–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Loiseleuria p. 55Public domain
Show the original text
Loiseleuria (Ericaceae). L. procumbens germ. 70L(30% in 5-8 w), 70 GA-3(33% in 6th w), 70D(none), 40-70L(62% in 2-4 w), 12% in May in outdoor treatment, and 40-70D(none). A 3 m DS at 70 had no effect on the germination in 70L, but seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Loiseleuria p. 55. 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, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Up in May.

No stated waiting before sowing.

12% germination.

This source doesn't state how long step 1 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Loiseleuria p. 55Public domain
Show the original text
Loiseleuria (Ericaceae). L. procumbens germ. 70L(30% in 5-8 w), 70 GA-3(33% in 6th w), 70D(none), 40-70L(62% in 2-4 w), 12% in May in outdoor treatment, and 40-70D(none). A 3 m DS at 70 had no effect on the germination in 70L, but seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Loiseleuria p. 55. 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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