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Sagina procumbens

Bird-eye Pearlwort · Birdseye Pearlwort · Matted Pearlwort · Birdeye Pearlwort

Family CaryophyllaceaeGenus Sagina

A dense bright green mat of fine needle leaves, studded all over with tiny white flowers and green buds on hair-thin stalks.
The whole plantManfred Morgner (ka-em-zwei-ein)CC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

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

The plant

Habit
Annual, Ground Cover, Herbaceous PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
perennial or subshrubPlants of the World Online
Flower
WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Fall, SpringExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Albania, Algeria, Altay, Austria, Azores, Baltic States and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
1-6Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow RockyExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, MoistExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Sagina means "fodder", after spurrey, a fodder plant once in the genus, and procumbens means "lying flat on the ground". Pearlwort is common in lawns and in the cracks of block paving, where it stands up well to trampling. The name pearlwort is first known from John Ray in 1660. Wikipedia: Sagina procumbens

This source reports 6 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Up in April.

No stated waiting before sowing.

100% germination.

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

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74Public domain
Show the original text
Sagina (Caryophyllaceae). S. procumbens seeds fresh or DS 3 m germ. 70D(54% in 4-13 w), 70L(67% in 3- 6 w), 70 GA-3(61% in 3-9 w), 40-70D(80% in 1-5 w), and 100% in April in outdoor treatment. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 70L{57% in 10-18 d) and 70D(24% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74. 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 Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 1, 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 35 days.

80% germination in 7–35 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74Public domain
Show the original text
Sagina (Caryophyllaceae). S. procumbens seeds fresh or DS 3 m germ. 70D(54% in 4-13 w), 70L(67% in 3- 6 w), 70 GA-3(61% in 3-9 w), 40-70D(80% in 1-5 w), and 100% in April in outdoor treatment. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 70L{57% in 10-18 d) and 70D(24% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74. 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

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 22, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 42 days to germinate.

67% germination in 21–42 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74Public domain
Show the original text
Sagina (Caryophyllaceae). S. procumbens seeds fresh or DS 3 m germ. 70D(54% in 4-13 w), 70L(67% in 3- 6 w), 70 GA-3(61% in 3-9 w), 40-70D(80% in 1-5 w), and 100% in April in outdoor treatment. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 70L{57% in 10-18 d) and 70D(24% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74. 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, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 63 days to germinate.

61% germination in 21–63 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74Public domain
Show the original text
Sagina (Caryophyllaceae). S. procumbens seeds fresh or DS 3 m germ. 70D(54% in 4-13 w), 70L(67% in 3- 6 w), 70 GA-3(61% in 3-9 w), 40-70D(80% in 1-5 w), and 100% in April in outdoor treatment. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 70L{57% in 10-18 d) and 70D(24% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74. 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, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 4, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 91 days to germinate.

54% germination in 28–91 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74Public domain
Show the original text
Sagina (Caryophyllaceae). S. procumbens seeds fresh or DS 3 m germ. 70D(54% in 4-13 w), 70L(67% in 3- 6 w), 70 GA-3(61% in 3-9 w), 40-70D(80% in 1-5 w), and 100% in April in outdoor treatment. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 70L{57% in 10-18 d) and 70D(24% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74. 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, 1996

Difficulty High 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, 2025.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 730 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 2 years from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

24% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74Public domain
Show the original text
Sagina (Caryophyllaceae). S. procumbens seeds fresh or DS 3 m germ. 70D(54% in 4-13 w), 70L(67% in 3- 6 w), 70 GA-3(61% in 3-9 w), 40-70D(80% in 1-5 w), and 100% in April in outdoor treatment. Seeds DS 2 y germ. 70L{57% in 10-18 d) and 70D(24% in 2nd w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Sagina p. 74. 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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