How to grow Rhododendron and mountain laurel from seeds 酒紅杜鵑及山月桂屬的種子種植方法

How to grow Rhododendron and mountain laurel from seeds

Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Roseum Elegans’ is blooming in spring.

Rhododendron seed pods open and release seeds with the wind in fall. 種莢秋天成熟後會打開隨風散播種子.

It is very easy to collect their seed pods to get seeds if you or your family have a plant in the garden. Their growth rate is slow so in garden centres or nurseries the price is high. Besides propagation of stem cuttings, propagate them from seeds you can get more. They are spring flowering shrubs, tolerant shade and evergreen through winter. They all like slightly acidic soil.

1.soil/medium must be well drained, use shallow container to sow seeds. If possible, sterilize the soil/medium first.

2.Keep soil moist but too wet. Sow seeds on the surface of soil. Do not cover the seeds. Leave the container where is partial shade. Seeds will germinate in 10-20 days. Will grow the first set of leaves in 8-10 weeks. They are easy to grow but slow, so be patient!

酒紅杜鵑(Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Roseum Elegans’)及山月桂屬的種子種植方法:

1.土用泥炭土和木屑/碎樹皮以1比1混合為播種用土. 用淺缽為苗盆.

2.基本上種子不可覆土,分散播下,要保濕但不可太濕有積水置於半日照涼爽處約10-20天會發芽,8-10週會長出本葉.

Rhododendron seed pods and seeds.

Rhododendron seeds are sprouting.

Lungwort is blooming. 療肺草開花了

Lungwort is blooming. 療肺草開花了
This is a very hardy and shade tolerant plant. Very good groundcover!

May Garden-1/3 五月花園(上旬)

May Garden-1/3 五月花園(上旬)
There are too many flowers to post, so I divided them to 3 periods of time to post. Enjoy the viewing!

白飯樹Common Snowberry ( Flueggea albus)

白飯樹Common Snowberry ( Flueggea albus)

北美原生的灌木,春天開許多粉紅色的小花,夏天果實成熟轉成白色.  人類可食.  也吸引鳥類食用.  生長快速. 耐陰耐濕. 可用分株扦插壓條種子等法來繁殖.  圖為一客戶家後院的白飯樹.

Stream Orchid / Broad-leaved Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine)北美原生蘭花之一—小河蘭

Stream Orchid /Broad-leaved Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) 小河蘭

Native wild ground orchid.  It roots quite deep under the ground often under the big trees.  Shade and drought tolerant.  In spring it grows rapidly and flower in early summer than seed in fall.  Flowers are small and slightly fragrant.

小河蘭為原生土植的蘭花之一根系在土表下深度約6″到1呎多.  植株在4月底5月初破土後快速成長.  花小於6月底開到7月有時8月花開後若蠅類授粉於秋天中期或末期會結籽.  花有微香. 籽囊裡的種子很輕很細常隨風飄送.  種子顏色灰白或灰褐色.

This is one of the common native orchids in Ontario, Canada. I see them free flowering in July/August under big trees. No fragrance, flower size is small about 1cm (3/8″) across on a flower stem, seed pods usually mature around October, self seeded. Mature plant height is almost 60 cm (24″), they prefer shade. 北美原生的小河蘭,成熟植株約達2呎高,夏天7月/8月開花,十月種子達成熟會爆開,種子粉狀細小,容易生長繁殖,喜生長在陰暗的大樹下. 花無香味,有逐漸城市化的趨勢.

四照花 Chinese Flowering Dogwood (Cornus kousa)

四照花–中小型落葉喬木, 通常粉紅色的5月先開花,白色的品種6月底7月開. 耐陰耐旱. 樹高可達6米,寬幅6-8米.秋天時葉片由綠轉紅,有秋色變化. 這棵是我照顧了4年的一客戶家後院的佛羅里達四照花.

荷包牡丹Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

荷包牡丹Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

藍色森林地福祿考Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

多年生地被植物,耐陰,喜酸性土壤,春天時植株會長數枝花莖,每枝花莖開十數朵淡藍色花朵,有怡人強香,花期約1個半月,容易以分株或扦插來繁殖,另有粉紅色品種,適合大量種植於大樹下陰涼處,很耐寒,可做切花材料

Phlox divaricata (Wild Blue Phlox, Woodland Phlox,  Wild Sweet William) is a  herbaceous perennial plant.  It  tolerants acid soil and shady spot.  It is native to forests and fields in eastern North America. It flowers in spring, with several flower stems with lavender-blue flowers, quite fragrant. Good for growing in group under big trees.

黃花醋栗Yellow Flowering Currant (Ribes aureum)

醋栗科醋栗屬，主要分布在北溫帶地區和南美西部溫帶地區。中國約45種，主要分布在西部和東北。落葉灌木,春天開黃花,有強香,吸引蜂鳥採蜜,花謝後會結黃色轉黑色好吃的果實,秋天葉色會由綠轉紅, 植株強健耐修剪,很適合作為綠籬,株高可達6呎, 耐陰

Yellow Flowering Currant, is a medium size shrub with fragrant yellow flowers in spring (April-May)followed by black berries in late summer. Green summer foliage turns scarlet-red in the fall.  Yellow Flowering Currant has yellow flowers that are popular with hummingbirds. It has yellow berries that turn black as they ripen and are quite tasty. This plant tolerates shade and soil types and can be used on difficult sites, but make sure they have good drainage. These drought tolerant plants don’t want wet feet. It grows 6 feet in height and width and makes a neat clean bush.