Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Orthrosanthus chimboracensis

Mexican Morning Flower · Páramo Lily · Little Star

Family IridaceaeGenus Orthrosanthus

Two pale blue six-petalled star-shaped flowers on a thin stem, against a blurred green background
FlowerAndrés Ramírez-BarreraCC BY 4.0
A plate of a grassy-leaved plant carrying flat violet flowers with yellow centers, drawn beside a tuft of roots and several dissections.
IllustrationM.S. del., J.N.Fitch lith.Public domain

About the plant

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

Habit
rhizomatous geophytePlants of the World Online
Flower
Pale lavender-blueRead from the photograph on this page
Native range
Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico Southeast, Panamá 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; Read from the photograph on this page — Deno's Garden; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Two sources report three treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 2, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 1, 2025.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 730 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 2 years from start to sowing. Then 35 days to germinate.

90% germination in 21–35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Orthrosanthus p. 51Public domain
Show the original text
Orthrosanthus (Iridaceae). O. chimboracensis DS 2 y or 3 y germ. 70L(90% in 3-5 w) and 70D(none) similar to fresh seeds.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Orthrosanthus p. 51. 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 Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 18, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 77 days to germinate.

88% germination in 21–77 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Orthrosanthus p. 62Public domain
Show the original text
Orthrosanthus (Iridaceae). O. chimboracensis v centroamericanus germ. 70L(88% in 3-11 w) and and none in 70D or 70 GA-3. Neither a prior 8 w in 70D or DS for 1 y had any effect on this pattern.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Orthrosanthus p. 62. 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

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing germinated at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Orthrosanthus p. 62Public domain
Show the original text
Orthrosanthus (Iridaceae). O. chimboracensis v centroamericanus germ. 70L(88% in 3-11 w) and and none in 70D or 70 GA-3. Neither a prior 8 w in 70D or DS for 1 y had any effect on this pattern.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Orthrosanthus p. 62. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record; 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

Add to My Garden

View species page