Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Saponaria caespitosa

Tufted Soapwort

Family CaryophyllaceaeGenus Saponaria

Heads of pale pink notched-petal flowers on short stalks, each cupped in a swollen red-veined tube, on a grassy ridge above hazy hills.
FlowerIsidre blancCC BY-SA 4.0

About the plant

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

Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Flower
Pale pinkRead from the photograph on this page
Native range
France, SpainGBIF 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; Read from the photograph on this page — Deno's Garden; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 16, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 15, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 days

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 84 days.

87% germination in 63–84 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Saponaria p. 210Public domain
Show the original text
Saponaria (Caryophyllaceae). . S. caespitosa germ. best with seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 in 40(87% in 9-12 w). Germination was low and extended in all other treatments as shown by 70(1%)-40(1%)-70 for DS seed and 70-40(14%)-70(19%)- 40(1%) and 40(4%)-70(2%)-40(9%)-70(1%) for fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Saponaria p. 210. 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 September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    14 germinated in this phase.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    1 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 3 run on after germination.

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

19% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Saponaria p. 210Public domain
Show the original text
Saponaria (Caryophyllaceae). . S. caespitosa germ. best with seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 in 40(87% in 9-12 w). Germination was low and extended in all other treatments as shown by 70(1%)-40(1%)-70 for DS seed and 70-40(14%)-70(19%)- 40(1%) and 40(4%)-70(2%)-40(9%)-70(1%) for fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Saponaria p. 210. 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 Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    4 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    2 germinated in this phase.

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    1 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 3 run on after germination.

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

9% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Saponaria p. 210Public domain
Show the original text
Saponaria (Caryophyllaceae). . S. caespitosa germ. best with seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 in 40(87% in 9-12 w). Germination was low and extended in all other treatments as shown by 70(1%)-40(1%)-70 for DS seed and 70-40(14%)-70(19%)- 40(1%) and 40(4%)-70(2%)-40(9%)-70(1%) for fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Saponaria p. 210. 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 September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    1 germinated in this phase.

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

Steps after step 2 run on after germination.

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

1% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Saponaria p. 210Public domain
Show the original text
Saponaria (Caryophyllaceae). . S. caespitosa germ. best with seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 in 40(87% in 9-12 w). Germination was low and extended in all other treatments as shown by 70(1%)-40(1%)-70 for DS seed and 70-40(14%)-70(19%)- 40(1%) and 40(4%)-70(2%)-40(9%)-70(1%) for fresh seed.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Saponaria p. 210. 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

Add to My Garden

View species page