A plant patent provides protection against propogating that specific plant. This does not prevent you from using these plants in breeding projects, as the progeny resulting from the cross will not be the same plant as the one which is protected.

That said, I am not a lawyer.

Hello,

I don't think you need special treatment for the seeds.

But you'd better harvest seeds in winter. This is what I've read someone's blog.

I think you need at least 2 years to see the first bloom.

Good Luck!

Because both Hydrangeas came about as the result of hybridizing, they both received patents under the Plant Patent Act, which only prohibits asexual reproduction of the plant. Therefore, you can't take cuttings off of it (not my opinion, just the letter of the law ... This is to protect new patent holders from scrupulous others who might mass produce something they didn't create, not to hinder the new gardener), but you are perfectly fine to use it as breeding parentage.

Now, it might not hurt to try starting other Hydrangea seeds at the same time, some you know are fertile. This will act as a control so if your hybridized seeds don't germinate, it was due to (probably) being sterile (as a result of one or both parents being sterile, or at least incompatible. Basically something went screwy) rather than bad seed raising.