Seeds

[Crotonologist]

Anyone know how long croton seeds will last before planting?
I finally harvested my first seeds - only had ten seeds out of eight pods of Bravo X Petra.
I would rather wait for sunny warm spring weather to sow them, but I know many Euphorbiaceae seeds have a short-lived viability....
Anyone have experience storing croton seeds for a few months or more??

 

[Sergey]

The sooner the better. The warm condition for sprouting is also highly recommended.

Good Luck with your seeds!

 

[Phil Stager]

Yes, the sooner the better. There was an earlier thread on this also. Unfortunately, most of my seed is set ifn late fal and early winter so if I'm going to germinate them, they are potted up and moved indoors during cold wx. The volunteers in teh ground rarely make it through a winter. Good luck.

 

[Crotonologist]

Thanks guys - I'll go ahead and sow them indoors with a heat mat and lights for now...

 

[Crotonologist]

Sowed them all yesterday.
Hoping for something good....
Bravo X Petra

 

[Crotonologist]

Interesting to see that croton seeds have elaiosomes - fleshy structures at one of the seed that are rich in lipids and proteins.
Their purpose is to attract ants which carry the seed home to eat the elaiosome and then discard the seed underground in the their trash dump which is rich in nutrients and beneficial microbes where the seed can sprout and grow... pretty amazing.

 

[Jeff Searle]

Interesting to see that croton seeds have elaiosomes - fleshy structures at one of the seed that are rich in lipids and proteins.
Their purpose is to attract ants which carry the seed home to eat the elaiosome and then discard the seed underground in the their trash dump which is rich in nutrients and beneficial microbes where the seed can sprout and grow... pretty amazing.

Peyton,

That was a pretty interesting bit of info. I appreciate in hearing this. Thanks.
Jeff