Seed Storage database

In nature, the germination of dormant seeds may be triggered by different phenomena such as the cycle of one or more cold winters followed by the warmth of spring; cycles of burial followed by re-exposure to light; passage through a bird or animal gut, fire, or various combinations of these treatments. Artificial substitutes which can be used as dormancy breakage treatments often mimic these conditions and are termed pre-sowing treatments or more commonly ‘pretreatments’.

It must be remembered that:

  • There is no single method of pretreatment which is universally effective at overcoming the dormancy of all tree species, and
  • The level of dormancy varies between seedlots and individual seeds in a seedlot, hence there may be significant leeway in pretreatment durations.

Hazel

Corylus avellana

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Hazel

Hawthorn (Midland)

Crataegus laevigata

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Hawthorn (Midland)

Hawthorn (Common)

Crataegus monogyna

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Hawthorn (Common)

Japanese red-cedar

Cryptomeria japonica

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Japanese red-cedar

Broom

Cytisus scoparius

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Broom

Spindle

Euonymus europaeus

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Spindle

Beech

Fagus sylvatica

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Beech

Buckthorn (Alder)

Frangula alnus

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Buckthorn (Alder)

Ash

Fraxinus excelsior

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Ash

Maidenhair tree

Ginkgo biloba

Storage properties, dormancy characteristics and pretreatment durations for Maidenhair tree