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This is a very common plant in Chile, forming carpets in the higher reaches of the mountains, and all of the local huasos, the Chilean cowboys, know it too well, because it sticks to the skin of the horses, clothes, etc. The good thing about is that its thorns are relatively soft. Still it makes a good plant to grow because of its resiliance and its rather strange appearance. The germination of this species is not very complicated, but you should do the cold stratification. You can avoid it by planting the seeds in autumn and exposing them to natural cold stratification during winter time. If you decide to do it "scientifically," soak the fruits for two days in water, then put them into wet sand and put them into refrigerator at about +2 +5? C for about 30 days. Allow the seeds to breathe (ventilate from time to time) and check the humidity of the sand (it tends to dry out quickly, so adding moisture every three-four days is a must). Use poor substrates with good drainage (For instance, 1/2 of sand and 1/2 of garden soil would work fine). The germination usually takes about 3 - 4 weeks. |
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