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Mertensia lanceolata

Lance-leaved Bluebells · Lance-leaved Lungwort · Prairie Bluebells

Family BoraginaceaeGenus Mertensia

Sky-blue tubular bells nodding in a cluster from a curved stem with narrow gray-green leaves.
FlowerJim PisarowiczPublic domain

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
Pale sky-blue, deep blueWikipedia
Native range
Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS 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; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors.

Worth knowing

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 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

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

70% germination in 4–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Mertensia p. 178Public domain
Show the original text
Mertensia (Boraginaceae). In view of the results with M. lanceolata germ. 70(70% in 4 d-4 w) and 40-70(30% on 2nd d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Mertensia 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 Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 3, 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

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

30% germination in 2 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Mertensia p. 178Public domain
Show the original text
Mertensia (Boraginaceae). In view of the results with M. lanceolata germ. 70(70% in 4 d-4 w) and 40-70(30% on 2nd d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Mertensia 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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