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Penstemon uintahensis

Uinta Mountain Beardtongue · Uintah Beardtongue

Family PlantaginaceaeGenus Penstemon

A tight head of blue-violet flowers, some rain-beaded, above a small rosette of narrow leaves set in pea gravel.
FlowerpeganumCC 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/herb, SubshrubPLANTS Database
Flower
Blue-violetRead from the photograph on this page
Native range
UtahGBIF 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.

Two sources report 5 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Up in March and early April.

No stated waiting before sowing.

100% germination.

This source doesn't state how long step 1 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Penstemon p. 52Public domain
Show the original text
Penstemon (Scrophulariaceae). Some of the following data are updates on species reported in the 1st Suppl. As noted in the 2nd Ed. and 1st Suppl., 'there is a wide range of germination behaviors in this genus ranging from requirements for light, oscillating temperatures, low temperatures, and GA-3. P. uintahensis germ. 40(1/5 in lOth w), 70 GA-3(all rotted), OT(5/5 in March and early April), and 70D-40-70D-40-70D(3/5 in 4-6 d). When a sample started in 70L was shifted to OT on June 1 (7 m after starting), 100% germ. in the 2nd w. It appears that the daily temperature oscillations of around 50 to 70 each day were enough to initiate germination. A similar effect was found with
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Penstemon p. 52. 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, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around April 5, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on April 4, 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

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Warm moist stratification

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

about 12 months from start to step 5. Germination happens during step 5, in 6 days.

60% germination in 4–6 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Penstemon p. 52Public domain
Show the original text
Penstemon (Scrophulariaceae). Some of the following data are updates on species reported in the 1st Suppl. As noted in the 2nd Ed. and 1st Suppl., 'there is a wide range of germination behaviors in this genus ranging from requirements for light, oscillating temperatures, low temperatures, and GA-3. P. uintahensis germ. 40(1/5 in lOth w), 70 GA-3(all rotted), OT(5/5 in March and early April), and 70D-40-70D-40-70D(3/5 in 4-6 d). When a sample started in 70L was shifted to OT on June 1 (7 m after starting), 100% germ. in the 2nd w. It appears that the daily temperature oscillations of around 50 to 70 each day were enough to initiate germination. A similar effect was found with
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Penstemon p. 52. 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, 1998

Difficulty High 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; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

20% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Penstemon p. 52Public domain
Show the original text
Penstemon (Scrophulariaceae). Some of the following data are updates on species reported in the 1st Suppl. As noted in the 2nd Ed. and 1st Suppl., 'there is a wide range of germination behaviors in this genus ranging from requirements for light, oscillating temperatures, low temperatures, and GA-3. P. uintahensis germ. 40(1/5 in lOth w), 70 GA-3(all rotted), OT(5/5 in March and early April), and 70D-40-70D-40-70D(3/5 in 4-6 d). When a sample started in 70L was shifted to OT on June 1 (7 m after starting), 100% germ. in the 2nd w. It appears that the daily temperature oscillations of around 50 to 70 each day were enough to initiate germination. A similar effect was found with
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Penstemon p. 52. 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 4

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

  2. Warm moist stratification

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

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

14% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Penstemon p. 187Public domain
Show the original text
Penstemon (Scrophulariaceae). Four types of germination were observed. Most Rocky Mountain species of a perennial nature germ. largely at 40 and often sowing at 70 was fatal or near fatal. A second group are short lived species that can flower the first year from seed typified by P. uintahensis germ. 40-70D(1/7) and none in 70D or 70L.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Penstemon p. 187. 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 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

  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, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Penstemon p. 187Public domain
Show the original text
Penstemon (Scrophulariaceae). Four types of germination were observed. Most Rocky Mountain species of a perennial nature germ. largely at 40 and often sowing at 70 was fatal or near fatal. A second group are short lived species that can flower the first year from seed typified by P. uintahensis germ. 40-70D(1/7) and none in 70D or 70L.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Penstemon p. 187. 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

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