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Tradescantia longipes

Dwarf Spiderwort · Wild Crocus

Family CommelinaceaeGenus Tradescantia

Two violet three-petalled flowers with yellow anthers, low among narrow green leaves and dead oak leaves.
FlowerDaniel J. LaytonCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

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

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
Rose, blue, purplishFlora of North America
Native range
Arkansas, MissouriGBIF 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; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Called wild crocus, though it is not closely related to crocuses, this spiderwort grows only in the Ozarks of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Unlike most North American spiderworts, it carries its flowers essentially at ground level. Wikipedia: Tradescantia longipes

Protocol

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    1/14 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 2 run on after germination.

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

7% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Tradescantia p. 222Public domain
Show the original text
Tradescantia (Commelinaceae). T. longipes self sows here, but the only successful germination was fresh seed in 40-70(1/14)-40-70(1/14). Photoexperiments and outdoor treatment need to be tried.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Tradescantia p. 222. 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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