Pull magnolias from magnolia seeds

Extraction of seeds from the fruit

After flowering many magnolias develop a fruitwhich, however, does not always contain seeds. The so-called follicle surrounds the - not edible - pulp with the seed pods and pops open as soon as the seeds are ripe. It is immensely important to match this point in time precisely: after all, reproduction only succeeds when the seeds are fully ripe. So harvest the seeds from the cracked capsules and carefully remove the adhering red shell and the surrounding pulp. Both of these can later lead to unwanted putrefactive processes. The real seeds of the magnolia are black. The pulp and shell are easier to remove if you soak the seeds in a little warm water beforehand.

However, the newly obtained seeds cannot be planted immediately, because the magnolia is a frost germ. This means that you have to keep the seeds cool for several months before you can start sowing the following spring. This method is called stratification in technical terms and works as follows:

• Pack the cleaned and dry seeds in an airtight container with moist sand.
• The seeds must be completely surrounded by sand.
• Place the container in the freezer or the vegetable drawer in your fridge.
• Leave it there for about three to four months.

Alternatively, you can simply put the seeds in a pot with them Potting soil pack and finally bury it in a suitable place in the garden. The surface of the pot should not be covered with garden soil, but should remain free. Now all you need is a cold winter.

The following spring, take the stratified seeds from your refrigerator and sow them as follows:

• Fill small flower pots with loose potting soil.
• Moisten them well.
• Put the seeds inside and lightly cover them with soil.
• Now place the pot in a location that is not too warm, but bright.
• Alternatively, you can bury the pot in the garden.
• However, this only works if there are definitely no more frosts to be expected, especially at night.
• Always water well so that the substrate stays moist.

Now it is time to be patient again. Magnolias can germinate very quickly, but they can just as easily take a few months.

Tips & Tricks

the self-grown young magnolias are still quite sensitive to frost and should therefore be allowed to spend their first winter in a pot and in a frost-free, but only a maximum of 10 ° C warm place. You can only use the Finally plant out the magnolia.