Styrax japonicus seeds (Japanese Snowbell Tree)

Description

A lovely small tree suitable for smaller gardens and urban planting. Tough enough to be used as a street tree to add beauty to the city landscape. In May/June fragrant white bells hang from old and new wood to perfume the air. This seed is from smaller bushier trees that you can still walk under the branches unless you’re taller than 2m. After the flowers are spent, decorative velvet covered spherical seed capsules dangle until mid winter.

We hope to have a new crop in 2020.

• Seed Count: 25-30
• Collection Date: Dec 2017
• Hardiness Zone: 6-9
• Height and Width: 3-8m x 3-8m
• Germination test type: hand sort
• Family: Styracaceae

How to germinate Styrax japonicus seeds:

Soak seed 24 hours. Break dormancy by placing seed in a resealable baggie of moist peat and warm stratify at 18 C for 4 weeks. Then place baggie in the fridge for a cold stratification period of 11 weeks. Sow seed 10mm deep in pots filled with well draining humus rich (acidic) medium. Should germinate in 14-21 days. Watch for early sprouters during the warm stratification stage. Fast growers with deep tap roots so use the right sized containers.

On an added note: I’ve seen plenty of seedlings at the base of mother trees in the spring.  So given cold stratification, even moisture and minimal care, germination should be more than satisfactory for the busy gardener.