Experimental tree seed order

Other plants we have or landscape elements like ponds.

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canadianplant
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Experimental tree seed order

Post by canadianplant »

I always try to order some seeds in the fall to keep be busy in the winter. I have a habit of growing things that "shouldnt grow here", but some of you more southern people may not see these as any big deal. Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with these guys?

Schisandra chinensis - Listed as zone 3. Its called "5 flavour fruit" in chinese. A nice looking vine.

Chionanthus virginicus - Native to the south east US. Also called goats beard or old mans beard. Fragrant, and hardy to zone 3

Acer palmatum atropurpureum var. dissectum 'Weeping Lace' - Zone 5 but stays between 3 - 5 feet. Should be good enough to keep it low so snow can protect it.

Magnolia acuminata - I have constantly read that this tree is hardy to zone 3, yet I dont see it planted. Even if its zone 4 it shouldnt have a problem here. Probably the hardiest magnolia, one of the largest and IMO best looking

Carya ovata - The good ole hickory tree. They can take down to -40 for a short period of time when established. Slow to come into production, and an under appreciated tree, yet anyone who eats bacon and ham can appreciate its other uses.
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by johnw »

canadianplant wrote: Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with these guys?

Schisandra chinensis - Listed as zone 3. Its called "5 flavour fruit" in chinese. A nice looking vine.

We grow Schizandra grandiflora 'Rubriflora' which isn't supposed to be hardy here but is on the coast, a magnolia relative.

Chionanthus virginicus - Native to the south east US. Also called goats beard or old mans beard. Fragrant, and hardy to zone 3

Zone 3 might be optimistic.

Acer palmatum atropurpureum var. dissectum 'Weeping Lace' - Zone 5 but stays between 3 - 5 feet. Should be good enough to keep it low so snow can protect it.

Just watch for voles that will eat to bits leaving nothing but toothpicks. These Japanese maples are considered iffy away from the coast. Seed best picked slightly premature.

Magnolia acuminata - I have constantly read that this tree is hardy to zone 3, yet I dont see it planted. Even if its zone 4 it shouldnt have a problem here. Probably the hardiest magnolia, one of the largest and IMO best looking

A big tree, it and kobus the toughest, have seen both growing in Montréal. M. acuminata can be quite coarse-looking, flowers are nothing. Takes up too much spaces to warrant a place in the garden.Maybe sieboldii would be more worthwhile.

Carya ovata - The good ole hickory tree. They can take down to -40 for a short period of time when established. Slow to come into production, and an under appreciated tree, yet anyone who eats bacon and ham can appreciate its other uses.

Probably grows here but wonder if our season is long & warm enough to ripen the nuts.

One to look out for is Kalopanax pictus, needs 2 years to germinate 100%.
johnw coastal Nova Scotia
canadianplant
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by canadianplant »

Hey John

Most of the info I looked at were from University or USDA studies. OF course they arent perfect but they are probably have the most reliable information, generally speaking. Most said zone 3 for the Chionanthus virginicus. It should do ok up here. I am cautiously optimistic about hardiness zones, and in reality I have to plant things to see what survives. Apparently butternuts are a "new" thing here too (Juglans cinerea).

I dont believe that I have voles here. I will keep that in mind though. There are other similar things that can cause similar problems. I picked the dissectum because I figured it will be low and wide enough to treat it like my bamboo and grapes; Bending, mulch and tarping.

I was not thinking of getting away with the Magnolias myself. They are something I can enjoy in pots them plant in larger properties or donate to the city as park plantings. I bet the University would be interested in this guy. Again, I have a tripitala seedling planted, and pots of a Kobus Var (borialis?) that didnt germ this year. They look ok so ill just leave them outside and hope for the best next year.

Im mostly interested in the Hickory. There was some encouraging information about the hardiness. They can at least withstand long cold winters and cold snaps around -35C, some things I have read said -40 for a short period. This is a good place to test that theory.
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by johnw »

Great to get such trees to your city parks. I inttend to unleash a few Phyllos about the city here..................... Do try that Kalo, it's extremely exotic looking and even grows on the Sakhalin Islands.

Here's a pic of one a friend shot in Korea and a big one in the Annapolis Royal Histroic Gardens that I grew from Arnold Arboretum seed back in the 80's, the biggish tree dead centre.

john
Attachments
Kalopanax.jpg
Kalopanax pictus Annapolis Royal-20120801-01254.jpg
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canadianplant
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by canadianplant »

That kinda tree is. Sexy. I'll have to try to keep n eye out for it thanks
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by JWH »

Thats a beautiful tree! The leaves look alot like fatsia japonica. I wonder if there is a US supplier of seeds or seedlings?
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by johnw »

Funny the leaf form my friend shot in Korea is the hard to find var. maximowiczii. The regular form is not so indented but makes up with huge leaves.

A shot of the regular one.
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Kalopanax pictus Annapolis Royal-20120801-01253.jpg
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by canadianplant »

That is a gorgeous tree. I cant find a source of seed though. I will definitely keep an eye out. I think I may have seen it at one time.

Id love to see trees that are rare, endangered or something cool here. As much as I like maples and ash, theyre over used here. May have to annex some boulevard or neighbors/families yards though... lol
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by johnw »

I'll ask a friend if his has any seed. His is one of the very first I grew from seed way back.
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by canadianplant »

I would greatly appreciate it :)
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by johnw »

Friend collected a few hundred seeds this morning and I'll get themn at a meeting Friday morning and post.

Note Kalopanax has double dormancy and then close to 100% germination. Some say you can reduce that as follows:

Kalopanax pictus , Castor-aralia ,zone= 4 , scarify, sow 3m @ 70ºF, then 3m @ 39ºF, move to 70ºF for germ.

I'd only scarify a few.

Friend says there are seeedlings coming up through the neighbourhood, maybe I can snag a few.

j
johnw coastal Nova Scotia
canadianplant
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by canadianplant »

That would be awesome. It seems to ve a very rare tree. Not much information online about it at all. Its rated to zone 4 and am wondering if it may be a bit more hardy. A decent gardenwebs thread though. Some decent first hand information.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/loa ... 22421.html

The fringe tree has to be stratified in a similar manner, so it isnt to much of a big deal. Same with the 5 flavor fruit. I have a habit of picking hard to germinate plants....
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by stevelau1911 »

A lot of Japanese maple seeds can be collected in your local neighborhood as well as certain magnolias.

Here are just a couple of seeds I'm germinating which have started sprouting.

4/7 of my amorphophallus titanum (corpse flower) seeds have germinated, and have little green buds, but they are growing very slowly. Here's one of them.
Image

2/25 of them miracle fruit seeds have germinated. I'm definitely expecting more in the next few days.
Image
canadianplant
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by canadianplant »

Hey steve

Remember where I am - inbetween sault st marie and winnipeg. People are reluctant to grow apples let a lone magnolia and japanese maples. There are no Japanese maples planted (some sold but ID have to assume they died) and no magnolia (One local nursery sells them, I think it is stellata, but I have never seen them anywhere).

I am trying the dissectum because it is a rather low and wide tree. For the most part should be protected from the cold here. It is still a long shot though. HD sells 5 footers for 40 bucks, usually the taller types, but older plants tend to be a bit more hardy. THe downside is that they were greenhouse grown in BC, not the best climate to test its hardiness.


I picked M acuminata because of the reliable information saying it is hardy to zone 3. There is a slim chance I can get the mag in the yard, but its mature width is more then the width of my lot... lol. IF it indeed proves to be hardy here, I hope it becomes more widely planted. There are some big parks and boulevards that would be perfect for them. I may be able to plant them in some peoples yards too. There is a very nice southern slope in my aunts yard that would look amazing with something other then poplar.
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Re: Experimental tree seed order

Post by johnw »

cp = That Magnolia acuminata is one tree I woulkd not recommend planting on your property. It grows like mad and becomes a gigantic tree , although pest free it's not big on ornamentality. I once sold some 2footers in one gallons to a nursery in PEI. They couldn't keep them watered so in June they put the lot in 10 gallon pots and by autumn they were 8+ft tall - it's a thug.
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