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Sphaeralcea coccinea

Cowboy's Delights · Orange Globemallow · Copper Mallow · Scarlet Globemallow

Family MalvaceaeGenus Sphaeralcea

A spike of orange cup-shaped flowers with yellow centers opening below a cluster of gray buds, on a stem with gray-green cut leaves.
FlowerHovenweep National MonumentCC BY 2.0

About the plant

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

The plant

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Biennial, Perennial, Forb/herb, SubshrubPLANTS Database
Height
1.5 ft45 cmPLANTS Database
Flower
RedPLANTS Database
Blooms
SpringPLANTS Database
Native range
Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS Database

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: HighPLANTS Database
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
6.5-8.4PLANTS Database
Moisture
Moisture use: LowPLANTS Database
Watering
Drought tolerance: HighPLANTS 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.

Worth knowing

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

50% germination in 28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Sphaeralcea p. 217Public domain
Show the original text
Sphaeralcea (Malvaceae). It is likely that all species would have germ. in a few days at 70 if a hole had been made in the seed coat. This was tested only with S. coccinea seed DS 6 m at.40 germ. 70(1/2 in 4th w) and 40-70(1/3 on 1st d). Both fresh seed and seed DS 6 mat 70 failed to germinate.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Sphaeralcea p. 217. 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 January 4, 2027 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 1 days.

33% germination in 1 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Sphaeralcea p. 217Public domain
Show the original text
Sphaeralcea (Malvaceae). It is likely that all species would have germ. in a few days at 70 if a hole had been made in the seed coat. This was tested only with S. coccinea seed DS 6 m at.40 germ. 70(1/2 in 4th w) and 40-70(1/3 on 1st d). Both fresh seed and seed DS 6 mat 70 failed to germinate.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Sphaeralcea p. 217. 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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