Freezing and Genetics

I got to thinking of all of the frozen maple seeds, that some made it through the cold snap and wondered if there was a possibility that the freezing could cause just enough genetic damage make some radical offspring. Maybe a Acer x freemanii 'Somaclonal Snowstorm' type of thing or whatever one's mind might imagine. Or perhaps a cutleaf, weeping, dwarf Silver Maple with purple leaves, hardy to zone 2 and roots readily from semi-hardwood cuttings. How many frostbitten seeds would I have to plant to get my chances of this rarity to occur in my seed tray?


Best Regards,
Ernie

And I thought the idea of a cutleaf, weeping, dwarf silver maple with purple leaves would reinforce the old adage "discretion is the better part of valor" and convince you to play with seed trays no more.

But seriously.... Freezing cold causing genetic chaos? Who knows? And what if Arctic blasting winds--at the same time--caused colchicine to atomize from the leaves of nearby colchicums and spray all over the dangling samaras? And, what if, at the same time solar radiation zapped them through a hole in the ozone? Could it be possible that that cutleaf, weeping, dwarf silver maple with purple leaves could also (dare I hope) be variegated?

scott

You guys don't want much!

LOL, Scott! I knew I forgot something in my list. Add variegation to the characteristics. The colchicum exploding nearby was a detail that wouldn't have ever crossed my mind. Eh, well........spring makes me think crazy things, I think. Better get some sleep before I really do go off the deep end and start planting silver maple seeds.

Regards,
Ernie

The perennial nursery where I am workign part-time this year has several very large silver maples on every side. Needless to say, every perennial sold after July 4th comes with seven to fifteen silver maples...FREE!!!

Scott

I need a way to dispatch a neighbor's silver maple that is one foot from the fence and about to choke out a weeping larix and a few other choice conifers. I offered to pay for it's removal, the neighbor agreed and then before I could get it done he died. His widow is not in agreement. All trees are created equil in her eyes. Sigh.

This message was edited Apr 19, 2007 8:49 PM

Ernie... The freezing cold is not goign to change the genetic makeup of your seeds. That has already been imprinte d and formed.

Now Mother Nature has her ways of thowing quirks and curve s into the mix and unles s you know exactly what the pollen parent of that tre e was, it is possible that you could have that variagated, purple leaved, knock your socks off Silver Maple.

But you'll never know unless you plant them. As far as the odds go. could just take one seed or 10,000 to get your dream tree.

Maybe masochistic mutations will produce that classic of all classics:

An incredibly rapid growing, shallow-rooted, and branch-throwing monster Acer saccharinum......that annually terminates growth in broad stubs.

Every single story ranch home should have one...or four.