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Phemeranthus teretifolius

Appalachian Rock-pink · Eastern Fameflower · Quill Fameflower

Family MontiaceaeGenus Phemeranthus

Also published as Talinum teretifolium. You are in the right place.

A single magenta flower open on coarse gravel
FlowerBarnes Dr Thomas G, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicePublic 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/herb, SubshrubPLANTS Database
Flower
Rose-purpleFlora of North America
Native range
Native to the 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; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee.

Worth knowing

  • Quill fameflower stores water in its fleshy, succulent leaves and has almost no root system, which makes it very drought tolerant and suited to rocky, sandy soil. It can fertilize itself. Wikipedia: Phemeranthus teretifolius

This source reports 8 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 6, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 5, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Sow on the surface — do not cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

    90%, on the fourth day.

about 9 months from start to sowing. Then 4 days to germinate.

90% germination in 4 days.

90%, all of it on the fourth day -- the best of eight by a wide margin. Seed dry-stored six months at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, TalinumPublic domain
Show the original text
Talinum (Portulacaceae). Sowing at 40was better than sowing at 70. T. teretifolium required both light and a prior 3 m at 40 for fresh seed as shown by 70L(1%),• 70D(none), 40-70L(47% in 3-5 d), and 40-70D(1%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(27% in 2nd w), 70D(none), 40-70D(5%), and 40-70L(90% on 4th d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Talinum. 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 December 31, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Sow on the surface — do not cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 3 months from start to sowing. Then 5 days to germinate.

47% germination in 3–5 days.

Fresh seed needs both halves: three months cold and then light. Deno's fresh seed.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, TalinumPublic domain
Show the original text
Talinum (Portulacaceae). Sowing at 40was better than sowing at 70. T. teretifolium required both light and a prior 3 m at 40 for fresh seed as shown by 70L(1%),• 70D(none), 40-70L(47% in 3-5 d), and 40-70D(1%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(27% in 2nd w), 70D(none), 40-70D(5%), and 40-70L(90% on 4th d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Talinum. 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, 1993

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. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow on the surface — do not cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

27% germination in 14 days.

Dry storage stands in for some of the cold: 27% with no chilling at all, against 1% fresh. Seed dry-stored six months at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, TalinumPublic domain
Show the original text
Talinum (Portulacaceae). Sowing at 40was better than sowing at 70. T. teretifolium required both light and a prior 3 m at 40 for fresh seed as shown by 70L(1%),• 70D(none), 40-70L(47% in 3-5 d), and 40-70D(1%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(27% in 2nd w), 70D(none), 40-70D(5%), and 40-70L(90% on 4th d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Talinum. 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 Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 19, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 18, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 9 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

5% germination.

Storage lifts the dark result off zero, and nowhere near the lit one. Seed dry-stored six months at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, TalinumPublic domain
Show the original text
Talinum (Portulacaceae). Sowing at 40was better than sowing at 70. T. teretifolium required both light and a prior 3 m at 40 for fresh seed as shown by 70L(1%),• 70D(none), 40-70L(47% in 3-5 d), and 40-70D(1%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(27% in 2nd w), 70D(none), 40-70D(5%), and 40-70L(90% on 4th d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Talinum. 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

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

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow on the surface — do not cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

1% germination.

1%. Light without the cold gets fresh seed almost nowhere. Deno's fresh seed.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, TalinumPublic domain
Show the original text
Talinum (Portulacaceae). Sowing at 40was better than sowing at 70. T. teretifolium required both light and a prior 3 m at 40 for fresh seed as shown by 70L(1%),• 70D(none), 40-70L(47% in 3-5 d), and 40-70D(1%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(27% in 2nd w), 70D(none), 40-70D(5%), and 40-70L(90% on 4th d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Talinum. 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 6

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very 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. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

1% germination.

1%. The cold is no use without the light. Deno's fresh seed.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, TalinumPublic domain
Show the original text
Talinum (Portulacaceae). Sowing at 40was better than sowing at 70. T. teretifolium required both light and a prior 3 m at 40 for fresh seed as shown by 70L(1%),• 70D(none), 40-70L(47% in 3-5 d), and 40-70D(1%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(27% in 2nd w), 70D(none), 40-70D(5%), and 40-70L(90% on 4th d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Talinum. 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 7

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    Nothing.

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing -- neither of the two things it needs. Deno's fresh seed.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, TalinumPublic domain
Show the original text
Talinum (Portulacaceae). Sowing at 40was better than sowing at 70. T. teretifolium required both light and a prior 3 m at 40 for fresh seed as shown by 70L(1%),• 70D(none), 40-70L(47% in 3-5 d), and 40-70D(1%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(27% in 2nd w), 70D(none), 40-70D(5%), and 40-70L(90% on 4th d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Talinum. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 8

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    Nothing.

about 6 months from start to sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing in the dark, stored or fresh. Seed dry-stored six months at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, TalinumPublic domain
Show the original text
Talinum (Portulacaceae). Sowing at 40was better than sowing at 70. T. teretifolium required both light and a prior 3 m at 40 for fresh seed as shown by 70L(1%),• 70D(none), 40-70L(47% in 3-5 d), and 40-70D(1%). Seed DS 6 m at 70 germ. 70L(27% in 2nd w), 70D(none), 40-70D(5%), and 40-70L(90% on 4th d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Talinum. 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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