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Senega nuttallii

Nuttall's Milkwort

Family PolygalaceaeGenus Senega

Also published as Polygala nuttallii. You are in the right place.

A dense stand of slender stems crowded with small green and pink buds, threaded through with grasses.
The whole plantDoug McGrady from Warwick, RI, USACC BY 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
Annual, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Native range
Native to the lower 48 statesPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Source: PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 28, 2026 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on December 27, 2025.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 15 months from start to sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

50% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Polygala p. 195Public domain
Show the original text
Polygala (Polygalaceae). Seed is difficult to collect because it ripens over an extended period. The samples of seed were thus small. In view of the photoresponses in P. nuttallii germ. 70-40-70(50% in 2nd w) and 40-70(20%): Seed DS 6 m at 70 rotted.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Polygala p. 195. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 21, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 20, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 12 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

20% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Polygala p. 195Public domain
Show the original text
Polygala (Polygalaceae). Seed is difficult to collect because it ripens over an extended period. The samples of seed were thus small. In view of the photoresponses in P. nuttallii germ. 70-40-70(50% in 2nd w) and 40-70(20%): Seed DS 6 m at 70 rotted.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Polygala p. 195. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

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