Gymnocladus chinensis seeds (Chinese Coffee Tree)

Description

An extremely rare Chinese cousin to North America’s Kentucky Coffee Tree.  Almost extinct in China and nearly unheard of in cultivation whether in public, private gardens and arboretums. Form is very much like its North American cousin in size and form, except for its remarkable foliage that starts life a royal purple then becoming blue green but retains its purple tint on the reverse. Leaflets are more perfectly oval than lanceolate like is North American kin. Totally unique. Hardiness testing proves this species can survive in pots without protection to -12C without any damage. Aka Soap Tree as the gooey material surrounding the seeds is high in saponins and useful a soap for washing clothes and the body.

• Seed Count: 5-7
• Collection Date: Dec 2023
• Hardiness Zone: 6?-9
• Height and Width: 12m x 10m
• Germination test type: germination
• Family: Fabaceae

How to germinate Gymnocladus chinensis seeds:

Break dormancy: has 2 seed coats; file away primary seed coat (blue) in sections until black secondary is seen. A flat file or a nutmeg grater will do nicely. Soak seed in warm water until the primary coat ‘dissolves’ away making the soak water yellow as the seed swells. If seed is not swelling, refile and resoak. Soaking may take a few days, but change the water a couple times a day. Place swollen seeds (huge in comparison to its original size) in resealable baggie with at least a cup of moistened peat/sand/perlite mix. Remember to gently squeeze any trapped soak water out of the embryo chamber. Place somewhere warm (20-25C). Will only take a few days (3-30 days) to germinate. Prick out and transplant into deep pots as it puts down a very long tap root.