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Roscoea alpina

Dwarf Kakoli Ginger · Mountain Roscoe Lily

Family ZingiberaceaeGenus Roscoea

A magenta orchid-like flower with a broad frilled lower lip and a hooded upper petal, on a dark stem between grass-like leaves, over gravel.
FlowerRoscoea_alpina_120819.jpg: Peter coxhead derivative work: Peter coxheadCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

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

Habit
tuberous geophytePlants of the World Online
Flower
Purple, lilacFlora of China
Native range
East Himalaya, Nepal, Pakistan, West HimalayaGBIF 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; Flora of China — Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven and Hong Deyuan (eds.); GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Most of the ginger family is tropical, but this Roscoea grows in the cold mountains of the Himalayas. It stays below ground until late spring or early summer, which spares it frost damage where winters drop below freezing. Wikipedia: Roscoea alpina

Two sources report 6 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 23, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 22, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

75% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Roscoea p. 58Public domain
Show the original text
Roscoea (Liliaceae). R. alpina germ. 70D(72% in 3rd w) and 40-70D(75% in 3rd w). Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(75% in 2nd w), and seeds DS 2 y germ. 70D(50% in 2-4 w)..
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Roscoea p. 58. 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 Moderate 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, in 21 days.

75% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Roscoea p. 58Public domain
Show the original text
Roscoea (Liliaceae). R. alpina germ. 70D(72% in 3rd w) and 40-70D(75% in 3rd w). Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(75% in 2nd w), and seeds DS 2 y germ. 70D(50% in 2-4 w)..
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Roscoea p. 58. 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 Low Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

72% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Roscoea p. 58Public domain
Show the original text
Roscoea (Liliaceae). R. alpina germ. 70D(72% in 3rd w) and 40-70D(75% in 3rd w). Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(75% in 2nd w), and seeds DS 2 y germ. 70D(50% in 2-4 w)..
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Roscoea p. 58. 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, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 9, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 8, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

50% germination in 14–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Roscoea p. 58Public domain
Show the original text
Roscoea (Liliaceae). R. alpina germ. 70D(72% in 3rd w) and 40-70D(75% in 3rd w). Seeds DS 1 y germ. 70D(75% in 2nd w), and seeds DS 2 y germ. 70D(50% in 2-4 w)..
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Roscoea p. 58. 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 Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 24, 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

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 12 days.

100% germination in 10–12 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Roscoea p. 207Public domain
Show the original text
Roscoea (Llliaceae). R. alpina germ. 70(70% in 3rd w) and 40-70(100% in 10-12 d). Germination is hypogeal. The true leaf develops in 2nd w after germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Roscoea p. 207. 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 Low Rated by us, not by the source.

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

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

70% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Roscoea p. 207Public domain
Show the original text
Roscoea (Llliaceae). R. alpina germ. 70(70% in 3rd w) and 40-70(100% in 10-12 d). Germination is hypogeal. The true leaf develops in 2nd w after germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Roscoea p. 207. 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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