If stored when completely dry, they are viable for around five years. Refrigeration of incompletely dried seed results in molding, unless stored in permeable paper envelopes. Vial storage also works, but drying is more critical.

The glutinous seed coat makes molding more of a problem. Seed that is ripe, then dampened, provides a home for mold spores that reemerge when re-dried seed is sown. This is always a calculated risk, since many times mold may not have infected the seed coat.

This feature is one reason why seed collecting on Salvias is tedious. Collectors have to diligently collect seed before rains and even morning dew can dampen ripened seed. Add to this the fact that many do not set heavy seed, and that there is no ring (annulus) of hairs to hold in ripened seed for our convenience, and you can see why many day's work is required to collect as few as 50 seeds. Carpenter bees and other bumblebees also abort the fertilization of many flowers.

"It's impossible to float-test them... because they all turn into a gelatinous glob." I haven't had that experience, but maybe because I'm mainly trying to germinate the CA native seeds. I usually soak them for an hour and I do see the non-viable seeds float to the top.

Do all salvias have the glutinous seed coat? Because many species seem tough and hard to the point where I'm considering gibarellic acid or liquid smoke to try and get a better germination %.

I know Matias in Argentina was wondering about germination technique as well, because I just sent him seeds from 8 different CA species.

Thanks so much, Rich.

Where I live, humidity is in the teens, so we don't have random dampness to worry about. I collect seed in paper lunch bags (highly recommended, always at hand) and store them in paper envelopes.

Dicot, I'm interested in more conversation about germination. I propagate most Salvias from cuttings, but since I have the luxury of a long enough season that seeds actually form, I collect them to share with others who do not.

Someone just sent me Salvia seeds from Japan, so now I need to learn how to do it the hard way.

You guys are great! Thanks!