london plane seeds

medieval knievel · Rowan Tree Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 115

are these fertile? i understand the london plane is a hybrid, and hybrids are sometimes infertile?
i picked up a few 'seed balls' - the ones an inch or inch and a half in diameter - walking into work this morning, and was wondering if it was worth my while trying to sow them.

BlackBird · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 171

Well I know a friend grew them and she found that very few of the seeds were viable when grown at home, but seem to produce seedlings much more readily just outside the base of the tree. medieval knievel have you ever seen any young plane growths around the tree in question.
If you want to try your own seeds you can do like my friend and leave the seeds outdoors in a cold spot to gain a two month cold period to break the seeds dormancy. Put them some where the field mice, birds and squirrels wont get them. If it was me I would just bung them in the salad crisper part of my fridge.
Sow the seed in spring in a lightly shaded area. When and if the seedlings emerge and they are large enough to handle, you can prick them out into pots. For their first winter she brought all 3 or 4 of them into a polytunnel, then planted them outside their permanent positions in late spring the following year.
I haven't seen her for a while, must ask how they are now.
Smile