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This is a beautiful shrub with interesting leaves and large yellow coloured flowers which cover the whole plant in the spring. The long beaded strings of fruits give it a special charm in autumn. The germination of seeds is easy provided that you break the outer protective skin of the seed. For just a few seeds use a nail-clipper or a file (you have just to scratch the surface, taking off maybe a flake). For larger batches you can use sulphuric acid or mecahnical scarificators (please see specialized literature before attempting this, as use of concentrated acid is very dangerous). Soak the scarred seeds in water for about 24 hours. They should visiblly swell up. If not, you have not scratched them sufficently. Plant immediately, and the seeds should germinate quickly. Do not expose to excessive temperatures during germination. Needs a lot of water, little exposure to sun, and a rather acid and humus-rich soil. The seeds of this plant have a very high germination percentage and they can be stored for decades. Most of the seeds will begin germinating within a few days afer sowing, provided that you have broken the outer layer of the seed skin. The main use of this plant is ornamental due to the abundant flowers, although in the past its wood was also widely used due to its resistance to rotting and hardness. So for instance it was used for making handles and wooden parts of carriages. |
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