Finding Special Perennial Seeds

This is probably a dumb question, and I think I know the answer, but:
Why can I not find seeds for many of the beautiful perennials I find in the catalogs?? Is it because they are hybrids and the seeds will not come "true"?
For example, Campanula persicifolia 'Chettle Charm'. I think it's gorgeous but can't find anywhere to get seed.
I did manage to find Nepeta 'Sweet Dream' seed.
Hope you can resolve the frustrating conundrum for me.

If the things you're looking for are ones with cultivar names (like the two you mentioned), those frequently don't come true from seed, and reputable companies will only offer things under a cultivar name if the seeds are guaranteed to be that cultivar. If you can learn to love straight species (like just plain Campanula persicifolia) you will probably have better luck finding seeds. If you have your heart set on a particular cultivar you'd be better off buying plants or seeing if you can find someone with cuttings to trade vs trying to grow them from seed.

In cases where you do find seeds of named cultivars, use a little caution and make sure the site is a reputable catalog (vs a random person selling their seeds on Ebay) or do some other research to make sure that particular plant will come true from seed before you buy it. Some named cultivars can be grown from seed, but many can't and a lot of people don't know that. So you'll find a lot of people will collect seeds from their plant and sell/trade it using the name of the cultivar when in fact the seeds won't really come true.

Some hybrids are only vegetatively propagated either because they don't come true from seeds or they might even be sterile hybrids.

Karen

Thanks for the information. I sort of thought that was what why I couldn't find some seeds.
You mentioned doing "research" to make sure the plant will come true from seed before I buy it.
Do you happen to know where I would start "researching" plants that will produce "true" seed?
I'm not aware of any place on Dave's Garden website. But, then, I don't know my way around this site very well either.

Google is your friend, for about any information on anything.

Say you're looking for Petunia X Hybrida. Try this sort of phrase, "germination, petunia x hybrida" or "culture petunia X hybrida" or "propagation petunia x hybrida". You get hits, one will undoubtedly give you the info you want.

Karen

You can also look your plants up in Plant Files--there's a section called seed collecting, and one of the options that can be checked is "N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed". You don't necessarily know which of those three situations (doesn't set seed, sterile, or won't come true) is the reason the box was checked, but in any of those cases you're not going to be able to start that exact plant from seed. Plant Files does have errors sometimes, and not everyone fills in the seed collection section when they enter a plant so just because that notation doesn't show up doesn't guarantee it'll come true from seed, but at least that is a place to start your research. Then you can always follow up with a google search as Karen suggested.

Thanks some more! If it is a hybrid, I understand it will not come true to seed.
Example. I was looking at Aquilegia 'Dragonfly' hybrids. There are a couple of gardeners on Dave's Garden web that say they have seeds for Aquilegia 'Draonfly' hybrids. But, I am thinking they may not come back looking like A. 'Dragonfly' at all. They may resort back to whatever the plants had been crossed with. Right??
So, if it is a "hybrid", you can never count on it coming back like the plant you are looking at. Right??

That's right, birder. There's always the chance it will look exactly like it's mom. But again, it might not resemble mom at all. It might be taller or shorter, a different color (or taste in the case of a veggie). It might be more hardy than mom or less hardy too. You never know what you'll get but those mutts might just be better than their mom.

Or, some hybrids might be sterile and never set seeds at all. Those have to be propagated vegetatively- i.e. from cuttings or dividing the roots.

Karen

Thanks! :)

This was a very interesting read, and so much assistance given from folks who know.

Another reason DG is so wonderful.


Janet

Kqrna I alwlays like your comment ..and they seem to be based on experience