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The annual seed production from native plants is one of nature’s richest
resources. Included are naturalized and invasive exotics but most however,
are natives. Collecting and propagating seed requires little more than a
commitment of time, and some basic knowledge and organization skills.
Equipment you will need includes a good field guide, a small pair of
prunes, paper lunch bags, Popsicle sticks, a cleaning sieve, and storage
envelopes, jars, freezer boxes and a field notebook.
Purchase a pocket field guide and go roaming in the fields and woods near
you. Identify the different plant communities in your area, noting the
different characteristics and cultural requirements the different plant
species have in common. Decide what kind of wildflowers you can incorporate
into you habitat plan. If for instance you desire to plant a butterfly
garden, you will need an area with the proper light requirements and soil
conditions that would support plants that produce nectar and larval food for
butterflies.
Succeeding with propagation from seed depends on your knowledge of
natural germination requirements. Have your research completed before plants
flower in spring and summer. Plant locations and flowering dated should be
recorded in your field notebook. Mark the plants you want to collect seeds
from with Popsicle sticks or flagging. Use permanent markers to prevent your
data from washing away. Record the first flowering dates and the date at
which seeds begin to form. Save your data from year to year as blooming
period may very, depending on weather conditions.
Visual change in the color and the texture of the seed covering is almost
always an indication of seed ripeness. Collect seeds only if the plant
population is well established and do more than 10% of the seeds. Make sure
the seeds are completely ripe. Look at the fruiting structure first
(capsules, berries, pods) to see if they have expanded and changed color and
texture. Ripening fruits turn from light to dark in color. Never use plastic
bags due to the large amount of water most seeds contain. Bacterial or
fungal growth may result. Paper bags let moisture pass through.
Consider the different drying requirements of the seeds you have
collected. Species that should have the seeds dried, should be spread on a
screen or clean newspaper. Place them in a cool dry place with good air
circulation. Plants that should not dry out, include Jack-in-the-pulpit,
twinleaf, the trilliums, and bloodroot. Many of the spring ephemeral plants
are in this group. Store these seeds after cleaning in a vermiculite mix in
the refrigerator until time to plant in the spring. Seeds that need to be
sown immediately after collecting, may have different light requirements for
germination. Some should be covered with soil and kept moist throughout the
fall season. Others need the presence of light to germinate and should be
broadcast on top of the soil.
Note: Parts of this article was reprinted with permission from the
West Virginia Nongame Wildlife &
Heritage Program, and to the original author, Emily Grafton.
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