Stipa barbata Interesting Seed

11 years ago

I have been growing a pot of Stipa barbatos. Soon I will be putting this in the ground but I would like to get some babies . It has amazingly beautiful seeds.The longest I have ever seen. I have been enjoying them in a arrangement inside but I am going to plant a few of them. As you see in the pictures below that they are odd things with a built in twist drill on their shaft that will supposedly drill the seed into the ground when it reacts to water. Has anyone planted these types of seed before. the actual seed part of the critter is sometimes over an inch long. Should I lay it flat or stab it like a dart in the soil?

My husband did not water it when I had to leave for 2 weeks so this is an old picture of it. It is still recouping from a near death experience. I did manage to save some seed off of its dead foliage when I returned.

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Comments (3)

User
11 years ago
The seeds look exactly like Stipa Bridal Veil. Those were easy to germinate in pots and they also self sowed, they germinated in early spring the next year. You don't need the long awn, just break off the seeds at the ends and sow. Its a cool season grass so it needs cool temps to germinate.

http://jelitto.com/Seed/Ornamental+Grasses/STIPA+pennata+Gram.html
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
Original Author
11 years ago
The seeds that I got from you were much smaller and the seeded that grew on the plants that I got from you were much smaller too. maybe they need time to establish. I might grow tired of the S. barbatos in time but so far , I haven't.
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wantonamara Z8 CenTex
Original Author
11 years ago
TR, I have a question. Was that S. pennata or was it Stipa capillata. Judging from the site and other sources. Bridal veil is S. capillata and S. pennata is European Feather grass. I am confused. What I grew from your seed did look more like the S. capillata. The seed head was not as long as pictured in the S pennata. I think I asked you about that back a while and you were unsure. I am just confused and always like to get the particulars. Please tolerate the nit picker in me.

The S. barbatos is much more glaucous in coloring. I am getting good growth out of the shorn clump. I hope the Bridal veil will recover from its dry out. It is brown and crinkled as can be but the roots are still holding strong so I am hoping it has not croaked and will return with the cool weather..The growth that I had on it was much more lax , or lodged as you say. I will try sowing the seed in fall and hold some for the spring..

Jelitto 's Stipa Bridal veil, aka S. capillata