Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Oxytropis multiceps

Nuttall's Oxytrope

Family FabaceaeGenus Oxytropis

A small tuft of silvery hairy leaves on bare gravel, carrying three purple pea flowers barely above the stones.
FlowerCAJC: in the Rockies from somewhere on the Front Range, Colorado, USA, USACC BY-SA 2.0

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
PurpleRead from the photograph on this page
Native range
Colorado, Nebraska, Utah, WyomingGBIF 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; Read from the photograph on this page — Deno's Garden; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    17 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 77 days.

25% germination in 3–77 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Oxytropis p. 184Public domain
Show the original text
Oxytropis (Fabiaceae). Oxytropis is typical of many Fabaceae. Some germination can be achieved without pretreatment, but such germination is generally slow and often extends over several cycles. if the seed is pretreated by grinding a hole throught the seed coat, germination is 100% in 1-3 d. The seeds are small so that the grinding is tedious and must be done carefully to avoid mechanical damage, but when done, it is dramatically effective. This was shown with 0. multiceps germ. 70(25% in 3 d-11 w)-40(17% in 3-6w) and 40(8%)-70(16%).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Oxytropis p. 184. 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 December 15, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    8 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

16% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Oxytropis p. 184Public domain
Show the original text
Oxytropis (Fabiaceae). Oxytropis is typical of many Fabaceae. Some germination can be achieved without pretreatment, but such germination is generally slow and often extends over several cycles. if the seed is pretreated by grinding a hole throught the seed coat, germination is 100% in 1-3 d. The seeds are small so that the grinding is tedious and must be done carefully to avoid mechanical damage, but when done, it is dramatically effective. This was shown with 0. multiceps germ. 70(25% in 3 d-11 w)-40(17% in 3-6w) and 40(8%)-70(16%).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Oxytropis p. 184. 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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