Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

Hi again, Wingnut!
My mother brought me over several dry pods and even though the squirrels had already had their feast, they left me TWO seeds!!!!

Now then... you say I HAVE to keep them in the moist peat for them to ever germinate for me? I wasn't really planning to grow them here. We're planning to move next year, and I was really wanting to take them with me to plant at our new home.

What do you think?
~ Carole

Hey, girl! :) I've done a lot of reading about this online and really think that you need to store them in something moist and chilly for them to stay viable and then germinate. You know how you can see these everywhere in the South mainly because they reseed themselves? Our tree has been here in the middle of hot, dry Texas for 30 years and just this past year I found the first seedling. It was down by the creek, RIGHT at the water's edge. That bears up with what I've been reading ~ wet and cold, only then will they sprout. Keep them dry and they may never.

Can you do the fridge thing for the winter, then plant them next spring in pots and just bring the potted plants? I know ~ a lot tougher to move than a couple of seeds. But I really doubt these seeds would still be viable if just kept in a warm/dry place like peppers, petunias, et al. And Magnolias grow really slow, so you shouldn't have four foot tall trees to contend with ~ maybe a foot at the most? The one down by the creek was about 8" tall when I found it ~ might have grown two inches since.

Well I think what I'll have to do is just hope for seeds from her tree NEXT year. About when did you start seeing yours? I will make a note in my garden calendar to be sure to have her start looking then.

I agree with you (and/or fully understand) about the germination process for these. I don't recall EVER seeing any seedlings the entire time I was at home or after. So yes, it stands to reason that just normal treatment will NOT have these germinate; and certainly not holding the seeds in a dry envelope.

Well I tell you what I WILL try ~ just as an experiment. I will let them dry out and store them with my other seeds. Then when we get where we're going, I'll try soaking them and then nicking, etc. It's only two seeds, and as I said, I'll get more next year ~ now that we know better how to find them.

My guess is your method is likely the ONLY method to use. Just checked the Seed Germination Database from BackyardGardener.com and found some info there as well:
http://backyardgardener.com/tm.html

We'll keep in touch and I'll let you know.
Happy Fall!
~ Carole

What a nifty little seed germination database! I hadn't seen that one, so thanks for the link, Carole. I've bookmarked it.

The seeds on my tree started ripening about a month ago. It's still producing tons and tons. I'm in zone 8b ~ is that close to your mother's zone where the tree is? If she's in a warmer zone, start looking a couple weeks per zone earlier. And remember that if the squirrels get all of them next year, I always have tons! Picked a couple hundred off the tree the other day and that isn't even 1/10 of how many it's produced and will produce before it's done.

If you're successful with getting dry seeds to germinate, let me know, would you? If you can remember that far from now. I think I have some old seeds that I may just try for grins, too. I love 'sperimenting in the garden. :)

Oh I'm glad to have shared a link that someone can use (smile)!

Mom's also in Zone 8a or 8b, so that's perfect. I'll mark my calendar for September 1st to have her start looking. It'd be special if the seeds were off her tree, but not essential. Since they seem more 'special' to the squirrels, I'm not holding my breath! LOL

I'd be delighted if you'd share some next year if I can't get any from Mom's tree. Can't get over how many you GET! wow!!

I think I might go ahead and try just one seed in the garden this year and leave one in the paper packet to dry. And yes, I'm happy to leave my germination notes here for you or anyone else it might help.

Email me anytime!
~ Carole

I COMPLETELY understand about wanting seeds from your mom's tree. The tree I have is my mom's, given to her by my grandmother to make her feel more at home (Mom's from Mississippi). Maybe next year you can go down ahead of time and wrap a couple pods with metal window screening to keep out the squirrels?

Yes, I love that link! Thanks again! TTYL