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Menodora scabra

Rough Menodora

Family OleaceaeGenus Menodora

A low bush of thin, gray-green stems with narrow leaves and a few bright yellow five-petalled flowers
FlowerMark PollockCC BY 4.0
A line drawing of a wiry branched plant with narrow leaves and small capsules, and its woody rootstock
IllustrationE. Knoblauch?Public domain

About the plant

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

The plant

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herb, SubshrubPLANTS Database
Height
1.0 ft30 cmPLANTS Database
Flower
YellowPLANTS Database
Blooms
Early SummerPLANTS Database
Native range
Arizona, Colorado, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, New Mexico, Texas and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: HighPLANTS Database
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
6.6-8.4PLANTS Database
Moisture
Moisture use: LowPLANTS Database
Watering
Drought tolerance: HighPLANTS Database

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; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Rough menodora is a popular desert garden plant. The Navajo made a cold infusion of it for heartburn and to ease childbirth, and a root decoction for spinal pain. Wikipedia: Menodora scabra

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 April 2, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 3 days to germinate.

100% germination in 3 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Menodora p. 177Public domain
Show the original text
Menodora (Oleaceae). M. scabra germ. 70(100% on 3rd d) and 40- 70(100% in 4-12 d). Light had no effect. Seed sown outdoors germ; 100%in mid- March.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Menodora p. 177. 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 December 24, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

  2. Warm moist stratification

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

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 12 days.

100% germination in 4–12 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Menodora p. 177Public domain
Show the original text
Menodora (Oleaceae). M. scabra germ. 70(100% on 3rd d) and 40- 70(100% in 4-12 d). Light had no effect. Seed sown outdoors germ; 100%in mid- March.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Menodora p. 177. 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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