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Salix cascadensis

Cascade Willow

Family SalicaceaeGenus Salix

A close-up of a fluffy pink-and-white willow catkin among small glossy leaves
FlowerShane JohnsonCC0

About the plant

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

Habit
subshrub or perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, ShrubPLANTS Database
Flower
Pink, whiteRead from the photograph on this page
Native range
British Columbia, Colorado, Utah, Washington, WyomingGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Note
Ungerminated seed stayed green and photosynthesizing for a month, then rotted without a radicle.Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed.

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; Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno.

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 28, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    Deno gives no length for this period; three months is his standard cycle.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 8 days.

47% germination in 5–8 days.

Nine seeds of nineteen, five to eight days after the move. The best of three.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalixPublic domain
Show the original text
Salix (Salicaceae). S. cascadensis germ. 70L(4/18 in 1-3 w), 70D(all rotted), and 40-70L(9/19 in 5-8 d). Most of the ungerminated seed in 70L or 40-70L remained green and photosynthesizing for an additional month but failed to develop a radicle or open the cotyledons and ultimatelly rotted.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salix. 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 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. Then 21 days to germinate.

22% germination in 7–21 days.

Four seeds of eighteen. A cold period first roughly doubles it.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalixPublic domain
Show the original text
Salix (Salicaceae). S. cascadensis germ. 70L(4/18 in 1-3 w), 70D(all rotted), and 40-70L(9/19 in 5-8 d). Most of the ungerminated seed in 70L or 40-70L remained green and photosynthesizing for an additional month but failed to develop a radicle or open the cotyledons and ultimatelly rotted.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salix. 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

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    All rotted.

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Every seed rotted in the dark. This one needs light.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalixPublic domain
Show the original text
Salix (Salicaceae). S. cascadensis germ. 70L(4/18 in 1-3 w), 70D(all rotted), and 40-70L(9/19 in 5-8 d). Most of the ungerminated seed in 70L or 40-70L remained green and photosynthesizing for an additional month but failed to develop a radicle or open the cotyledons and ultimatelly rotted.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salix. 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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