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Narthecium ossifragum

Asphodel · Bog Asphodel

Family NartheciaceaeGenus Narthecium

Yellow star flowers with six narrow rays and woolly white filaments, opening below buds tipped in orange-brown, in wet grass.
FlowerHajotthuCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

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

Habit
rhizomatous geophytePlants of the World Online
Flower
Bright yellowWikipedia
Native range
Belgium, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, France, Føroyar, Germany 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; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Ossifragum means "bone-breaker", from an old belief that sheep that ate bog asphodel grew brittle bones. Shetland Islanders used its bright orange fruit as a colorant in place of saffron. It is not closely related to the true asphodels. Wikipedia: Narthecium ossifragum

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 24, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 23, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

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

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

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

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 14 days.

100% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Narthecium p. 60Public domain
Show the original text
Narthecium (Liliaceae). N. ossifragum germ. 70L-40-70L(100% in 2nd w), 70D-40-70D(9%), and 40-70- 40-70(8% in 3-6 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Narthecium p. 60. 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, 1996

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

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

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

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

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

9% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Narthecium p. 60Public domain
Show the original text
Narthecium (Liliaceae). N. ossifragum germ. 70L-40-70L(100% in 2nd w), 70D-40-70D(9%), and 40-70- 40-70(8% in 3-6 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Narthecium p. 60. 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, 1996

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around May 29, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on May 28, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 42 days.

8% germination in 21–42 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Narthecium p. 60Public domain
Show the original text
Narthecium (Liliaceae). N. ossifragum germ. 70L-40-70L(100% in 2nd w), 70D-40-70D(9%), and 40-70- 40-70(8% in 3-6 w). Seeds DS 1 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Narthecium p. 60. 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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