Acer grandidentatum.

Tomorrow I will begin cold stratifying several Acer grandidentatum, or Bigtooth Maple, seeds I collected from the tree we planted in our front yard. I'm not sure that the parent tree was able to make the transition from nursery pot to ground, and the hotter than normal (for what "normal" is worth in Colorado) temperatures this past summer might have dried out its root ball more rapidly than my deep soakings could keep up with. Perhaps this year will be a little more moderate, which, so long as there's sufficient moisture and sun, will be a little easier on seedling and yearling trees. Anyway, the seed I collected from the Bigtooth Maple appears to be viable, but time will tell. I'll leave them in the refrigerator for about a month, then I'll see if they germinate in preparation for planting outside in late May.

Acer grandidentatum growing in Utah. Photo by Cory Maylett, August 2005.

Preparing an assortment of Penstemons.

As of today, three species of penstemon have joined the other seeds in our spare refrigerator, though none of these require months of cold stratification. About a week ago I began preparing two pots of Penstemon pinifolius and one pot of Penstemon whippleanus. Today I added six pots of Penstemon palmeri, commonly known as Palmer's Penstemon, Scented Penstemon, or Pink Wild Snapdragon. Penstemon palmeri will be planted alongside Ipomopsis rubra, commonly known as Standing Cypress, and these two herbaceous plants will form part of the background for a collection of dwarf conifers, such as Picea pungens 'Globosa'. I will post a picture once things get planted, but for now that part of the garden is still in preparation.

Filling up the refrigerator.

A few days ago I prepared and planted about thirty or so Shepherdia argentea, commonly known as Silver Buffaloberry. Like Ribes aureum (Golden Currant), Silver Buffaloberry is dioecious, so I'll have to grow out more than one plant if I plan on getting it to fruit. But first I have to coax the seeds to sprout. Which is why I'm filling up our refrigerator: Silver Buffaloberry requires cold stratification for two to three months. Thus eighteen starter pots planted with Silver Buffaloberry seeds joined an equal number each of starter pots planted with Vitis arizonica (Canyon Grape), Celtis reticulata (Netleaf Hackberry), and Golden Currant. I also planted two larger pots with a scattering of Penstemon pinifolius (Pineleaf Penstemon) and a single pot with several Penstemon whippleanus (Whipple's Penstemon). In another month I'll add Lycium pallidum, commonly known as the Pale Wolfberry and in the same family as the Goji Berry (but native to the American Southwest), as well as Penstemon palmeri, commonly known as Palmer's Penstemon . So...the refrigerator is filling up. I did promise my wife that I would try to keep the plantings manageable, so I will try to refrain from planting too many more species until later this spring.