Scarification, Who Knew?!

Seeds have a special ability called dormancy. Dormancy allows an embryo to remain alive in the seed for years, even centuries. Depending on where the seed originates, it may have varying environmental factors that must be met before the seed will germinate . Scarification is the process of physically or chemically altering the seed coverings to improve germination in dormant seeds.

When you buy a packet of seeds, it will give instruction on how to plant them, but will also give scarification directions if needed for a specific species. For example, one might call for pliers to manually create an opening in the seed coat for water to pass through and begin swelling inside the seed. This replicates years worth of erosion and weathering on a seed in the soil.

My favorite tree is Gleditsia triacanthos, Honey locusts. It is in the pea family, Fabaceace, and as such drops seed pods every fall. Thankfully, I know where a whole row are on BYU's campus. When I walk by a certain area, I see the future offspring of my favorite seed.  One day I picked up a pod. It's slightly fuzzy and twisted, yet long and beautiful (to me, at least).

To hear a great story about another beloved honeylocust by a beloved prophet, read here

I picked my pod and forgot about it for a month, and finally found the time to research how to scarify my seed for the best chance of germination. Research showed that the seed would benefit from hot water scarification (which simulates a chemical breakdown that is a natural protection against germinating before a forest fire), and mechanical scarification.

I took a pair of nail clippers (since that's all I had for the job) to nick away at the seed coat in a single spot. I then proceeded to boil water and let the seed seep in the water overnight.

After the seed was soaked, I placed the seed inside a moist paper towel in a Ziploc bag in a warm, but dark spot in my house.

I was able to open the bag and see the seed germinate as it sent out it's little seed root and let it grow about 2 inches long before transplanting it into a pot with a peat/perlite mix.

I took a picture of the seed every other day or so for the first three weeks. I hope to keep the tree alive and well until a few years from now, I can plant it in a front yard and watch it grow taller than our home.

Cotyledons and first true leaves

Classic pinnate leaves

One week after planting