Stratification enhances germination of purple coneflower {Echinacea angustifolia) and St. John's Wort {hypericum perforatum) seeds

Abstract

Usage of purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) and St. John's wort (Hypericum perforation) for medicinal, ornamental and landscape purposes has increased significantly in the United States. Seed germination and uniformity of emergence for such herbs were found unsatisfactory without pretreatments of seeds. Three 50-seed replicates of both Echinacea angustifolia and Hypericum perforatum were strat ified in the dark at 5 and 10 C for 5,10, 20 and 30 days. Germination counts on stratified and non-stratified seeds of both species were recorded on 3,7 and 10 days in darkness and indirect daylight at 24C. Echinacea angustifolia seeds had the highest percent germination (83%) when stratified at 1tfC for 30 days and germinated under indirect daylight, whereas, germination was less than 50% under dark conditions. Highest
germination of Hypericum perforatum seeds was attained with stratification at 10 C for 30 days. Stratification at 5 C for 20 days enhanced the rates of germination of both Echinacea and Hypericum seeds.