I'm not a chemist, and don't play one on TV(though I did take enough chemistry courses in college to qualify as having a 'minor' in chemistry). Denatured alcohol generally contains 10% methanol. Methanol is poisonous to mammals, but I see no reason, from a chemical or physiologic standpoint that a 90%ethanol/10%methanol mix would have any adverse effects on seeds that might benefit from an alcohol treatment to enhance germination; I presume that the effect is due to the solvent properties affecting some of the resins on the outer surface of the cone/seed, allowing penetration of water to stimulate 'revival' of the dormant embryo. Plants don't utilize alcohols as an energy source, and don't have alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme systems; hence the utilization of an alcohol in this instance is strictly (I presume) for its solvent properties. For that matter, I suspect that 70% isopropyl(rubbing) alcohol, readily available at any grocery/megastore with a 'health' section, would probably suffice. I'd have to get really tired of manually scarifying seeds before I'd risk fooling around with concentrated sulfuric acid. The sandpaper in a can/jar looks good to me.

It has been estimated that approximately 20% of plant viruses are transmitted from generation to generation in the seed, Seed transmission generally is achieved either by direct invasion of the embryo via the ovule or by indirect invasion of the embryo, mediated by infected gametes. I personally believe that cannas are capable of transmitting some canna viruses via the seed. This is based on seedling production over a number of years. I continue to grow both clean and virus cultivars and harvest seed from both. This is the only way we have been able to maintain certain genetic strains and traits. Seedlings from the clean cultivars nearly always produce clean seedlings (at least for the first generation). Seedlings germinated from the virused cultivars typically produce few if any virused seedlings the first generation, but it can vary from one season to another. No one seems to have an answer for this occurrence. Interesting is the fact that virus can be associated within the hard seed coat as well as internally. It is unknown if this may play a role in seedling infection in cannas. I have usually used a 10% Clorox dip prior to seed scarification. I have no idea if this is beneficial. It would not affect the embryo infection. Regards, Kent

How successful is one liable to be using a volunteer for trying out palo verde, it is from in-laws yard and put in mine a few months ago and growing vigorously. Can growth be controlled to manageable size withholding irrigation and pruning? I am destitute from paying to have trees removed because of growing so large they become susceptible to wind damage, have in the past had three microtheca eucalyptus and four shoestring acacias removed for that reason and three queen palms because of age and other problems. This is getting too much for the pocketbook. Miss the shade and the trees though. How severely can one prune without losing a palo verde, in fractions, say up to 1/3 or 1/2? And will they survive after establishing, without irrigation in E Valley Phoenix area? I sort of think the eucalyptus and acacias might have been controlled by eliminating irrigation after mature, is this true? graysmoke

Jamie, you will have problems with growing both of these. The Poinciana or Flamboyant (Delonix regia) comes from the basalt soils of Madagascar which has a climate the opposite of Perth - that is a summer wet season and a pronounced dry if not drought in winter and spring June to Oct. In Qld. the dryer the winter- spring the more magnificent the flowering. We should see one of the best years this 2004 in Qld & northern NSW because of that but the aftermath of many 500mm long x 70mm x 20mm thick seedpods, is messy They grow well but flower poorly in the wet tropics (like Jacarandas and Cassia fistulas). The equivalent climate in WA is Kununurra - in the dry tropics. It is a legume (like vetch) with seeds that may dry out irreversibly and unless you file through the seed coat on a piece of concrete until you see the white starchy endosperm inside then it cannot imbibe water and sprout. I suggest you try some cooler wet winter climate flowering trees (Magnolias) instead; but a good way to learn is to try. Good luck.