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Leycesteria formosa

Himalaya-honeysuckle · Himalayan Honeysuckle · Pheasant-berry

Family CaprifoliaceaeGenus Leycesteria

Drooping spikes of white flowers in deep claret bracts, hanging below broad pointed leaves.
FlowerNo machine-readable author provided. MPF assumed (based on copyright claims).CC BY 2.5

About the plant

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

Habit
shrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, ShrubPLANTS Database
Flower
White, pinkFlora of China
Native range
Assam, China South-Central, East Himalaya, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and elsewhereGBIF 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 China — Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven and Hong Deyuan (eds.); GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Nathaniel Wallich named it around 1820 for his friend William Leycester, a chief justice in Bengal. Formosa means beautiful. Wikipedia: Leycesteria formosa
  • In the wild it grows on cliffs, which is why it takes so readily to walls. It is a noxious invasive in Australia and New Zealand. Wikipedia: Leycesteria formosa

Two sources report 7 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 27, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 9 days to germinate.

100% germination in 9 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Leycesteria p. 44Public domain
Show the original text
Leycesteria (Caprifoliaceae). Data on L. formosa is now complete. It germ. 70L(100% on 9th d), 70D(87% in 1 -4 w), 70 GA-3(10% in 9-11 d), and 40-70D(100% in 2nd w), confirmed by JS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Leycesteria p. 44. 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 Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 22, 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: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 14 days.

100% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Leycesteria p. 44Public domain
Show the original text
Leycesteria (Caprifoliaceae). Data on L. formosa is now complete. It germ. 70L(100% on 9th d), 70D(87% in 1 -4 w), 70 GA-3(10% in 9-11 d), and 40-70D(100% in 2nd w), confirmed by JS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Leycesteria p. 44. 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 Low Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

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

87% germination in 7–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Leycesteria p. 44Public domain
Show the original text
Leycesteria (Caprifoliaceae). Data on L. formosa is now complete. It germ. 70L(100% on 9th d), 70D(87% in 1 -4 w), 70 GA-3(10% in 9-11 d), and 40-70D(100% in 2nd w), confirmed by JS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Leycesteria p. 44. 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 High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 25, 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 11 days to germinate.

10% germination in 9–11 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Leycesteria p. 44Public domain
Show the original text
Leycesteria (Caprifoliaceae). Data on L. formosa is now complete. It germ. 70L(100% on 9th d), 70D(87% in 1 -4 w), 70 GA-3(10% in 9-11 d), and 40-70D(100% in 2nd w), confirmed by JS.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Leycesteria p. 44. 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 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 49 days to germinate.

43% germination in 35–49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Leycesteria p. 53Public domain
Show the original text
Leycesteria (Caprifoliaceae). L. formosa germ. 70D(1/4 in 7th w). Li bert ia (Iridaceae). L. formosa germ. 70D(6/20 in 3-7 w) and 70L(6/14 in 5-7 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Leycesteria p. 53. 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 6

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 49 days to germinate.

30% germination in 21–49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Leycesteria p. 53Public domain
Show the original text
Leycesteria (Caprifoliaceae). L. formosa germ. 70D(1/4 in 7th w). Li bert ia (Iridaceae). L. formosa germ. 70D(6/20 in 3-7 w) and 70L(6/14 in 5-7 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Leycesteria p. 53. 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 7

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 49 days to germinate.

25% germination in 49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Leycesteria p. 53Public domain
Show the original text
Leycesteria (Caprifoliaceae). L. formosa germ. 70D(1/4 in 7th w). Li bert ia (Iridaceae). L. formosa germ. 70D(6/20 in 3-7 w) and 70L(6/14 in 5-7 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Leycesteria p. 53. 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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