HOW EARLY CAN I COLLECT TRIDENT MAPLE SEED?

[cmeg1]

I have been considering Trident Maple.There is an outstanding specimen in town here and it would be great to get a local tree like this for seeds as it is quite old and stable in this growing zone.
I can see seeds hanging on the tree now.Can I collect the green seeds for quicker germination?

 

[waydeo]

I would wait till they turn brown before collecting. Then cold stratify for 60-90 days.

 

[Pitoon]

I collect the week of Halloween.

 

[Sean Walker]

I have wondered the same thing. Last year I collected JM seeds some while they still had color to them in the others after they went brown. The ones collected early had a better germination rate. Both were dismal but the early were less dismal. I’m going to try collecting field maples and seeds from the same JM at different time this year and see what happens. Other than my trident my germination rates were horrible last year.

 

[Shibui]

Many seeds are mature well before they are fully ripe. The final phase of seed development seems to be hardening the shells so they can survive for longer.
That means that seed harvested early will probably still germinate but may not store well. Whether early germination is useful is another thing entirely as you'll need to mange small seedlings indoors or under some sort of winter protection, both of which are specialist and require heat/light and possibly fungicide. Not sure if there's any extra growth long term.

Letting seed ripen fully allows us to store it or sow and allow natural stratification. Seed that germinates in spring as nature intended always seems to do far better for me and is much less bother.

 

[cmeg1]

Many seeds are mature well before they are fully ripe. The final phase of seed development seems to be hardening the shells so they can survive for longer.
That means that seed harvested early will probably still germinate but may not store well. Whether early germination is useful is another thing entirely as you'll need to mange small seedlings indoors or under some sort of winter protection, both of which are specialist and require heat/light and possibly fungicide. Not sure if there's any extra growth long term.

Letting seed ripen fully allows us to store it or sow and allow natural stratification. Seed that germinates in spring as nature intended always seems to do far better for me and is much less bother.

I have seen sellers of seed offer ‘green’ seed.I see lots of the Trident seeds are formed on this local tree.I wonder how early is too early?

 

[waydeo]

This is a good time to do some testing cmeg1. Take a few each week and date the package and stratify them . Then plant them later noting which week germinates the best/ most viable seedlings.
This can be a contribution to Bonsai nut data base for your planting zone. If I can find a good maple I'll do the same. Nothing but pines around me.

 

[Shibui]

This is a good time to do some testing cmeg1. Take a few each week and date the package and stratify them

It would also be worth testing germination without stratification. Dormancy factors are among the last things to be incorporated in seeds.
I haven't tried with maple seed but our native acacias have hard seed coats when mature and require scarification to germinate well. Green seed will germinate well if sown immediately without scarification (but its hard work extracting unripe seed from the pods!)

I see lots of the Trident seeds are formed on this local tree.I wonder how early is too early?

I have never done any tests so can't offer advice other than to try. I'd be confident they will be viable when turning from green to brown but may well be OK before that too.
Note that green seed often won't store so harvest green seed for immediate germination only.

 

[cmeg1]

It would also be worth testing germination without stratification. Dormancy factors are among the last things to be incorporated in seeds.
I haven't tried with maple seed but our native acacias have hard seed coats when mature and require scarification to germinate well. Green seed will germinate well if sown immediately without scarification (but its hard work extracting unripe seed from the pods!)

I have never done any tests so can't offer advice other than to try. I'd be confident they will be viable when turning from green to brown but may well be OK before that too.
Note that green seed often won't store so harvest green seed for immediate germination only.

Yes,I belive I’ll give this a shot……It is a most beautiful and quite mature Trident along the street……..Nice to get a local tree also in the winter I live in and maybe better adept to our climate.

 

[19Mateo83]

I’d love to see what you can do with some tridents.

 

[cmeg1]

IS THIS TRIDENT MAPLE……?

Leaves were a bit goofy on the other one this one on the other side of the building has more attractive leaves. Perhaps in a defoliated and reduced state the leaves would be more attractive like the 3rd photo as you can see
Loaded with seeds.

 

[Rivian]

Looks more or less like my Ningpoense Trident Maple.

 

[cmeg1]

Ningpoense Trident Maple

Looks right on good call thanks it’s listed on Longwood Gardens website also in my area ,so your correct…… I wonder how it is in seedling species variation…….. The smaller leaves are noted too on the description great color I bet you as the leaves are dwarf it probably is very interesting

 

[Rivian]

I wouldnt know how small the leaves are as bonsai because mine is not one. But from my knowledge, regular tridents used for bonsai can get smaller leaves. I have one normal one and I dont think ningpoense can get that small. Would love to be wrong about this, though.
I dont think mine had a full red fall color, but its hard to remember