Description
CANADIAN ORDERS ONLY will have both parts as this seed has two parts. One is the seed and the second is mycorrhizae inoculated native forest soil from actual growing sites. International orders will be receiving only the seed NOT the inoculated soil due to SEVERE import restrictions.
An exquisite woodland beauty with whorls of lovely toothed thick leathery dark green leaves arranged in layers on short stiff stems and beautiful pink and white flowers that will make you stop and admire the plant. Totally unique and a jewel rarely seen in gardens. Prefers open Douglas fir forest in association with salal (Gaultheria) and Oregon grape (Mahonia) which are probable hosts to the necessary mycorrhizae it needs to thrive. Needs dry nitrogen poor soils. The heat wave we had that saw temps of +44C for nearly a week, didn’t touch this plant.
- Seed Count: +200
- Collection Date: March 2021
- Hardiness Zone: 5-9
- Height and Width: 10-15cm tall x spreads via rhizome
- Preferred conditions: Shady open conifer forest with Gaultheria shallon and Mahonia cohorts; humus rich acidic soil. Occurs on very dry to moderately dry, nitrogen-poor soils
- Germination test type: n/a
- Family: Ericacea/Pyrolaceae
How to germinate Chimaphila umbellata seed:
Seed is very fine/dust like and will be packed in a vial. We are including a packet of native soil collected from growing sites in domestic orders only (trade outside Canada prevents soil shipments). Just so you know I have yet to germinate this species, but using my instincts as a guide, but one thing is known this species requires a mycorrhiza fungus for germination. Prepare a well draining humus rich medium of finely milled virgin peatmoss (10% silica sand content for drainage) with a small amount of mineral fertilizer only (I recommend greensand) in a nursery pot. I prefer sturdy 15cm square pots for this as the seedlings might have to live for a couple of years in the pot for the seedling’s wide-spreading fibrous feeding roots. Moisten medium. Pulverize the bone dry native soil in the packet so it is dust. Pass it through a fine sieve onto a sheet of paper. Break down any lumps and sieve onto the paper. Keep dry. Now add the seed. Its super small like orchid seeds. Tap the paper to evenly mix the seed with the dry medium. Pour seed/native soil mix into the same sieve you used for the native soil and tap the sieve so the seed/native soil mix drifts down onto the prepared moist medium. You might want to place the sheet of paper under the pot to catch any mix that missed the sowing surface. Once seed/native soil is sown, use a fine mist to hydrate. Place pot inside a plastic bag and give cool shady conditions for 3 months. Mist 1x daily. Never fertilize. Never give strong direct light. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a shady position in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
