Bee Tree (EVODIA HUPEHENSIS) Growing

[Browntea]

hi all,

i bought some of these seeds from fleabay after seeing a post on here

ive googled how to grow these and i mentions putting them in a bag of peat in the fridge for 4 months!!!
ive read somewhere else in the freezer over night!!

can any of you green fingered beeks help me out here?

thanks

 

[tonybloke]

I'd go with the damp peat / sand in the fridge for a few months sketch.
it simulates over-wintering, which will then break the 'dormancy coat' on the seed.

 

[Browntea]

how many should i put in the bag or could i pop all of them in 1 bag then just divide whats in the bag into pots when the time comes?

 

[Erichalfbee]

My sis-in-law's self seeds quite happily. If I had seeds I would be tempted to sow thinly now on the surface of a deep terracotta pot, cover with a little horticultural grit,bury the pot to just under the rim in a sheltered part of the garden and await next spring.

 

[Tom_Pearce]

I would tend to agree - either condition the seeds by mixing all of them with damp sand or vermiculite and keeping in a poly bag for 6-8 weeks in the fridge (Not freezer), and then plant out normally in compost, or do it the way nature does it - plant them in a pot and let the natural cold/damp of a winter do the work for you. I haven't been able to find specific instructions for Evodia, and there are various ways to break dormancy in seeds depending on the dormancy mechanism and the environment that the plant comes from. Some seeds can take quite a while to germinate, so don't give up on them too soon - I have weeds germinating in the garden after several years - expose them to light and away they go :-( Good luck!

 

[madasafish]

My instructions are:
soak in water 24 hours.
Then place on compost and fridge for 1-2 months.
Then plant out..

I'm in day 3 of fridge.
Rather like Himalayan poppy.. or Himalayan Balsam..

Of course, you can just plant in a pot and leave out all winter which is what I did with poppies - they all germinated (and then died 2 months later).:-(

 

[RosieMc]

Someone bought me a tea tree plant about 3 feet high last year. It died (sorry)

I took it back to the garden centre it was bought from and they said that ALL their tea tree plants died after the first frost. AND they were all in an unheated greenhouse.

Apparently the British climate is too cold for them to be outdoors. Sorry to disappoint you.

 

[madasafish]

Someone bought me a tea tree plant about 3 feet high last year. It died (sorry)

I took it back to the garden centre it was bought from and they said that ALL their tea tree plants died after the first frost. AND they were all in an unheated greenhouse.

Apparently the British climate is too cold for them to be outdoors. Sorry to disappoint you.

Tea Tree not same as Bee Tree.... Different plants.

Agree Tea tree not UK Hardy... Anyone want one of my 18 plants in pots to see if they will last the winter?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Agree Tea tree not UK Hardy...

Tregothnan state in Cornwall grow it and sell their very expensive honey online and in expensive London shops.
I have two plants that started flowering at the beginning of April, are still flowering now and there are still buds to come. The bumbles have loved them I will bring them into the conservatory for winter. I'm sure the weather up here would do them in but they seemed to have enjoyed the Cumbrian rain.

 

[Winker]

I got the seeds too, i kept them in water for 24 hours by the window. After 24 hours i drained the seeds from the water and put them back into the bag they came in (So as not to loss the seeds when it come to time for sowing) In the same bag i put a bit of damp sponge (cut from the corner of the wife's sponges for doing the dishes (new of course). Damp remember not dripping!
Now pop the in the bottom tray of the fridge for 8 weeks.

Once 8 weeks have past you can then sow them into soil and lightly cover. Keep them on a warm window and let nature take its place. Keeping them most at all times!

Edit: I got 100 seeds... 10 years from now its going to be bee heven around here

 

[Lance Hutchings]

You will probably of moved by then

 

[Browntea]

Thank you all very much for clearing that up for me, hopefully I too will have lots of bee trees around here in the future

 

[Winker]

You will probably of moved by then

Im in this house untill i die with a bit of luck that wont be for another 40 years

 

[madasafish]

I planted two small birch trees in our garden 30 years ago. Both now15+ metres tall..

Pity that my hair has grown in reverse at the same time...

 

[madasafish]

The bee tree plants that I planted last year have survived the winter on the windowsill of a sun facing room . Now in the garden in pots, they range in height form 0.2 to 0.5metres.

Just need some sun: I've not had to water them at all

 

[Winker]

The bee tree plants that I planted last year have survived the winter on the windowsill of a sun facing room . Now in the garden in pots, they range in height form 0.2 to 0.5metres.

Just need some sun: I've not had to water them at all

i planed mine last year and they are now around 20 inches tall. They were all outside over winter. I have around 15 of them now.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Any Chance,madasafish and winker, of posting up a pic.
Beeline and I have been considering whether the ones we have (from my sis-in-law's garden are the real deal)
I'll post one of mine later.

 

[Queens59]

Anyone want one of my 18 plants in pots to see if they will last the winter?

I wish I could madasafish - but I fear teh postman would kill them before I could...

 

[Hedgehog]

Someone bought me a tea tree plant about 3 feet high last year. It died (sorry)

I took it back to the garden centre it was bought from and they said that ALL their tea tree plants died after the first frost. AND they were all in an unheated greenhouse.

Apparently the British climate is too cold for them to be outdoors. Sorry to disappoint you.

Assuming that you mean Manuka, I planted one 2 years ago which I bought at great expense from the Duchy Nursey at Lostwithiel. It died. I planted another last year. It died - except for one stem which now seems to be thriving! It's pretty temperate here on Fraggle Rock, as we sit in the gulf stream - although we do get the occasional frost. There's also a mahoosive one at the sub-tropical gardens in Abbotsbury, about 15 miles away.

 

[madasafish]

Anyone want one of my 18 plants in pots to see if they will last the winter?

I wish I could madasafish - but I fear teh postman would kill them before I could...

All my Tea Tree plants were planted outside in a sheltered spot and grew up to a metre tall. None survived the winter.