Gardenweed, I have never grown snakeroot period so I am totally clueless on it. With that said I read a lot. Well tepelus had posted a post a while back about starting sowing. Well from that post she was talking about another variety of snakeroot. Granted it isn't the same one but morz in the post did add some input about the plant on what it needs to germinate. Hope that helps you some, though I am sure others will key in that have actually grown it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sow It begins

Thanks countrycarolyn I saw that post. I'm wondering if anyone has winter sown the type I've got that bloomed and is setting seed. The plants came from Bluestone Perennials and I know they grow very slowly from the information on BPs website. Unless I hear from folks here that they're virtually impossible to grow from seed, I'll try, figuring if they can be germinated then chances are winter sowing will do the trick. There's A LOT of seeds on the flower stems so I'll have plenty to work with.

I have never grown these from seed, but according to William Cullina's book on growing and propagating native wildflowers (which I own and is a great book on native flowers), it does have complex germination requirements. He treats the seeds as though they are hydrophillic (should not dry out) and sows them immediately after collecting, and gives them a warm-cold-warm stratification cycle for germination. He puts the pots in a warm place for 3 months, then puts them outside in February and says he gets good germination the first Spring.

I just moved my Actaea racemosa this fall, and there were some plants that appeared to be separate from the big clumps, so either they spread by rhizomes, or they reseeded a couple of seedlings over the last couple years.

From that post I would start them as soon as they are ready. That was how I took it at least.

Sorry bout my post!! Terrene said what I was trying to show,lol.

Virginia Snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria) is different from Black Snakeroot (Cimicifuga, also as Actaea (aka Black Cohosh)). I collected seeds from my Black Cohosh this fall, and will sow them soon, or at least some of the seeds, I'm saving some for trades. I don't know how either fare winter sowing, I do know (from what I've read) the Virginia Snakeroot has a rather low germination rate, I don't know about the Cohosh. The VS is basically a pipevine plant, but it's not a vine, though has the pipevine flowers. I'm very interested in finding out how many seeds with sprout with the VS. And I just finished reading the rest of the thread, I guess if I want any chance of these Cohosh seeds to sprout, I should probably plant them real soon. lol!

Karen

Terrene pretty much nailed it :) Epicotyl dormancy - fresh seeds sown in late summer to early fall and the radicles will form before really cold weather sets in, followed by seed leaves will emerge in late winter to Spring. Warm, cold, warmer-but-still-cool.

So. My plants don't produce ripe seeds by (my cool weather) summer here, and I couldn't tell you when the radicle comes out because I don't use coffee filter or paper towel methods of sowing, I sow in potting mix :)

I think you should be fine with your own fresh seed, problem arises when you buy dry stored seed that is older. Even with fresh seed, don't expect high germination rates, sow a little heavy. My seeds ripen really late here, but I still find it kind of strange one large long standing clump of c. racemosa NEVER self sows. Chickadees do love the seed heads left in place, a little hard to imagine though that they get every last seed.

Muy bueno & thanks to all who posted responses on this one! I'm going to harvest the seeds I see forming and take my 'leap of faith' by winter sowing them on the solstice. Far as I'm concerned they're getting their "warm" today & tomorrow when the temp is hovering around 60 degrees here in north central CT.

I checked Google + the garden watchdog website before posting the question here and got some good information but nothing related to winter sowing. Once I see the results of WS these seeds, I'll add my information to the DG website for the benefit of others.

morz8 - one poster on the DG website said he/she transplants the self-sown seedlings every year. I'm no expert but since this is an eastern U.S. native species, could the reason you don't see self-seeds is your location?

If I thought I'd remember to do it, I'd promise to post my results. Anybody who's curious is welcome to ping me and ask when the time comes.

The E Coast vs W Coast could be something to consider with mine....

As for your leap of faith though, it's quite a leap. If you really want these, think about sowing now, because on the plant warm doesn't count. Dry doesn't count. In order to have been through a warm period, it has to be sown, and sown in contact with moist medium. Holding them until the solstice is only a little better than buying them in Jan or Feb from a commercial supplier and has you skipping the first warm moist period.

I envy your afternoons. A little light frost here last night and a sunny but chilly 50F this afternoon...Almost always an ocean breeze afternoons here so can feel cooler than it really is. Lovely break from the heavy cold rains we've been having though :)

This has some info on sowing black snakeroot seeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Black Cohosh

I like that site, there is not many sites that sell seeds that put out so much info. I look at that site from time to time just because all of the info they give.

Ot: has anyone ever purchased from them?? They have a pretty good little selection of seeds.

I just placed an order with them a couple days ago, I'll let you know how the seeds are when I get them, but it'll be spring before I know how well the seeds germinate for me.

Oh, and the place in question is Easyliving Native Perennial Wildflowers.

Karen

That would be awesome, cause in my seed frenzy I almost purchased some but I quickly refrained cause I seriously did not need anymore. Next year I am sure I will be looking again. Any company giving so much info I would be happy to shop from.

My order came today, very quick shipping! Most of the packs look like they have a lot more seed in them than what is stated on the website. I got everything I ordered, except he didn't have any more seed of a certain type, but offered me the chance to make a substitution before paying for the order. So far I'm happy with the place. Now, to see next spring, after sowing them, how well they germinate.

Karen

Sweet, so far so good!!

I made a purchase at trade winds fruit store today, they have some extremely rare things at good prices. I have been holding myself back then after a recent post about free shipping at another store. I had to just check, and they were also offering free shipping. Well I could resist no longer. I did try though, lol.

I have an abundance of black cohosh seed that I'd be willing to share. These plants seems to readily self-seed, but, the little seedlings don't compete well with larger plants/weeds that tend to shade them out, including the mother black cohosh plants. i.e., plan on doing some intensive weeding the first couple of years to help get the seedlings established.

I've had the best luck in sowing in the fall before the ground freezes. Prepare a bare earth seedbed and broadcast the seed. Then pack the seedbed by walking on it, and apply a bit of leaf mulch. If the seeds don't germinate this next spring, wait another growing cycle to see what happens.

Also, I've got a few Virginia snakeroot plants to offer as well, and some seed if anybody would like to try some. I know it is getting late in the season, but if the ground isn't frozen yet, then they still can be transplanted, or the seeds planted.

Rod A.