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Mentzelia decapetala

Evening Starflower · Evening-star · Gumbo-lily · Tenpetal Blazingstar

Family LoasaceaeGenus Mentzelia

A white star-shaped flower with ten pointed petals around a dense tuft of pale stamens, open against a lilac rock face.
FlowerBob HerschyPublic domain

About the plant

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

The plant

Habit
biennial or perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Biennial, Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Height
3.5 ft1.1 mPLANTS Database
Flower
WhitePLANTS Database
Blooms
Mid SummerPLANTS Database
Native range
Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS Database

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: HighPLANTS Database
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
6.0-8.4PLANTS Database
Moisture
Moisture use: MediumPLANTS 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.

Worth knowing

  • Its large white flowers open at night, and night-flying sphinx moths visit them. The plants take up selenium from soils that contain it, which makes them mildly poisonous. Wikipedia: Mentzelia decapetala
  • Decapetala means ten petals. The genus is named for the German botanist and physician Christian Mentzel (1622–1701). Wikipedia: Mentzelia decapetala

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 March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 21 days.

90% germination in 21 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. decapetala germ. 40(90% in 3rd w) and less in 70D(6%) and 70L(none).
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 Very 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: dark

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

6% 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. decapetala germ. 40(90% in 3rd w) and less in 70D(6%) and 70L(none).
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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