I have a Butterfly vine that is blooming now. I want to know how to collect seeds pods. Is there anyway that i can start a butterfly vine from seed to grow? I see seeds or pods forming on my vine. Do i snap them off to start growing. Im new to this . Please explain!!! zone 8b.
Butterfly vine Yellow orchid vine
Is this the plant you are asking about?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1845/index.html
This message was edited Sep 27, 2005 12:53 AM
YES
I didn't know how to collect the seeds from the seedpods at first. The seedpod is the green "butterfly" which turns brown when the seeds are ripe. The part right in the middle of the seedpod that sort of looks like the body of a butterfly contains the seed. It is rather hard. I use both thumbnails to pull the butterfly "body" apart. The seeds are encapsulated inside. To make sure the seed is viable, I roll it between my thumb and forefinger. If it is a "good" seed, it will not crumble. If it is an old seed or if it has been munched on by insects, it will crumble.
seedpicker_TX states the following:
"Seed germination can be tricky. I have had best results NOT presoaking the seeds. They draw up water too readily, and will rot easily, if pre-soaked.
I usually start with moistened soilless mix, and then squeeze it as hard as I can, to get all the water out. The moisture that is left in the soilless mix, is now just right (barely moist and a bit on the dry side).
Put the soilless mix in a container with seeds, and cover. Remove and sow, as they germinate. Germination is erratic. Seeds may germinate at different intervals over a period of about a month. Some may germinate in as little as one week, and others may take up to a month.
-seedpicker_TX"
Hello Htop, Do you know another way to make more butterfly vine like cuttings? Please explain!!
Fill containers (be sure there are holes in the bottoms for drainage - I use tall styrofoam cups and punch holes in the bottoms) with perlite, nonfertilized potting soil or seed starter potting soil mix. Water the soil and let it drain. You probably will need to saturate it with water a couple of times. Take softwood and/or hardwood cuttings in late spring or summer (best times) or now if you have a place to protect the cuttings from the cold and keep them warm. Cut back to just below a node (a node is where a leaf is or was) take all of the leaves off except for 3 at the top of the cuttings. Be sure to have at least 2 bare leaf nodes on the lower parts of the cuttings. You can dip the bottoms of the cuttings in water and then powdered root starter, but the beautyberry cuttings don't usually need it. Use a pencil or old ball-point pen to make a hole into the soil and place the cuttings into the soil. Cover with a plastic bag to keep the humidity levels high and place a rubberband around the bottom of the container over the plastic bag to secure it. Do not let the plastic bag touch the leaves. Keep them in filtered or light shade. You will not have to water them and will know that the cuttings have taken root when new leaves appear at the top.
htop Dear, you are a jewel of information !!!!!
luv ya, ah2
ah2 (he, he, he), thanks. luv ya, too.