Hi Sue

Here is a link that might be helpful with your identification of this and other seeds you might harvest.
Hope this helps

Here is a link that might be useful: Seed Site

Thanks Peatpod but that is one of the ones that I tried...No Astilbe...how strange eh?

Here is another site http://www.theseedsite.co.uk/. I thought for sure there would be a picture I went in and checked everyone and no luck . I really want to find out to ..Maybe you can't grow them from seed.

Hi Sue,

I don't have astilbe but it looks a lot like the mint type seeds. What you can do (and this doesn't work with all seeds) is take a small amount of the stuff you have collected and drop it in some water and stir it around, the heavier seeds will drop to the bottom and the chaffe will float and then you will know which is which.To me it looks like the small dots are the seeds.Good luck.

Carol

A yes! you can grow them from seed. They winter sow very well. These were seeds sent to me and sown 2003/2004.

{{gwi:346662}}

Sue, they are really really tiny, and as a trader who has asked for and received some in the past, I don't mind folks sending a dried branch with the seed pods/chaff. Actually, that's what I usually ask for since they are so hard to discern.

Just let the trader know that this seed will include chaff. All they need to do is gently rub the contents between their fingers over the soil and press into the soil to sow.
Works like a charm!

Here is a copy of a post that appeared on GW in relation to Astilbe last year . Seems the seeds are very tiny. I wouldnt worry too much ....throw the whole thing in a package and let the people know that there will be chaff with the seeds. Also seems the seeds doesnt last long .

Here is the post:

Posted by Hollywog z6soIL (My Page) on Fri, Jul 22, 05 at 23:52

The seedpods are tiny on the lobelia, as are the seeds. I usually wait until the pod turns brown, pick it off, pinch it in half, and roll both halves between my thumb and forefinger gently, letting the seeds fall into a plastic cup.
As for the astilbe, the seeds are so very tiny that I usually just crumble up the entire dead flower head after it turns dry and sprinkle it out over whatever container I am starting it in. (It doesn't last more than a few months, by the by.) I have had sprouts this way.

Signet

Thank you all for the information, I think I will include the whole kit and kaboodle in every seed package. I too wintersowed astilbe with success but do not recall what the seeds looked like at all...total mind blank...But this is my first time actually collecting the seeds.

These pictures may be helpful. First picture named ÂCommercial seed' is of store bought, cleaned McKenzie seeds and second picture is of slightly crumbled not cleaned seed head from the plant in my garden. I have wintersowed both and they both germinated, only the cleaned commercial seeds had much better germination rate, so I concluded that next time I should sprinkle more crumbled seed heads for better germination rate.

Marica

Here is a link that might be useful: Photobucket

Thanks Marica,
Perfect!....so it is the little fellas...and the larger thingie what sa bobbits are chaf...great...I will probably still send the whold bunch...can you imagine counting out 25 micro dots???