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Lewisia brachycalyx

Short-sepal Bitter-root · Short-sepal Lewisia · Short-sepaled Lewisia · Shortsepal Lewisia

Family MontiaceaeGenus Lewisia

Crowded rosettes of fleshy strap leaves carrying pale pink flowers, in black nursery pots
The whole plantbrewbooks from near Seattle, USACC BY-SA 2.0

About the plant

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

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
WhiteFlora of North America
Native range
Arizona, California, Mexico Northwest, UtahGBIF 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.

Worth knowing

  • Short-sepal bitter-root, from the mountains of the southwestern United States and Baja California, goes dormant after flowering in summer. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Wikipedia: Lewisia brachycalyx

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 25, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 70 days.

100% germination in 70 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Lewisia p. 166Public domain
Show the original text
Lewisia (Portulacaceae). Germination of L. brachycalyx germ. 70-40(2/3 in 10th w) and 40(6/6 in 10th w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Lewisia p. 166. 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 Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 28, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 27, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 70 days.

67% germination in 70 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Lewisia p. 166Public domain
Show the original text
Lewisia (Portulacaceae). Germination of L. brachycalyx germ. 70-40(2/3 in 10th w) and 40(6/6 in 10th w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Lewisia p. 166. 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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