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Mentzelia chrysantha

Gold Blazingstar

Family LoasaceaeGenus Mentzelia

Yellow star-shaped flowers on pale, whitish stems among narrow gray-green leaves on sandy ground
FlowerPictured: Mentzelia multiflora, a relativeIndio BrownCC BY 4.0

About the plant

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

Habit
biennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Biennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
Golden, yellowFlora of North America
Native range
ColoradoGBIF 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.

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 28, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 8 days to germinate.

70% germination in 3–8 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Mentzelia p. 178Public domain
Show the original text
Mentzelia (Loasaceae). Light reduced the percent germination. M. chrysantha germ. 70D(70% in 3-8 d), 70L(27%), and 40(15%)-70.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Mentzelia p. 178. 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.

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

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

27% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Mentzelia p. 178Public domain
Show the original text
Mentzelia (Loasaceae). Light reduced the percent germination. M. chrysantha germ. 70D(70% in 3-8 d), 70L(27%), and 40(15%)-70.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Mentzelia p. 178. 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, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 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

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

15% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Mentzelia p. 178Public domain
Show the original text
Mentzelia (Loasaceae). Light reduced the percent germination. M. chrysantha germ. 70D(70% in 3-8 d), 70L(27%), and 40(15%)-70.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Mentzelia p. 178. 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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