Winterberry Holly Seeds-Dryland Seed Strain

currently unavailable Dry Soils, Non Acidic Soil Seed Selections-Deciduous Michigan holly.

This seed strain now makes up hundreds of seedlings that were grown in an open field with no irrigation. The alkaline and dry soil really whittled down the numbers to only those which could grow in this 'opposite world' of normal winterberry holly which are normally found in highly acidic wetlands. Our original seed source came from central Michigan on a dune area that had little vegetation. Apparently it has seeded in over the years from the surrounding wetlands. This selection has been a very good seed source for me and makes for an ideal screen even if you do not have acidic soil. Plants tend to grow taller and more upright than named varieties. The ratio of male to female is fifty percent. This plant has become a crop plant for the floral industry where the branches are trimmed and sold.

This dryland seed source as well as the amount of good fruiting plants within it make it a valuable crop for developing further female selections for both the floral and landscape industry. It could also be used as a plant in screens as the root system it develops is a very thick and spreading matrix within the top portion of the soil. The original seed source was found on my family's farm and had a established colony that had fruited onto the neighbors property. All of these were growing in pure sand. When I planted the seedlings at my farm alongside other wetland selections there was a noticeable difference in the growth and fruiting of the  drryland plants. For this reason I have since used this source for seed in my nursery when I was offering the plants from seed. 

To germinate the seeds:  Plant in the fall in a protected area about 1/8 inch deep.  The seeds will normally sprout quite heavy in their second year. The seedlings are quite durable and can be moved in one year. If  you do the cold refrigerator method, make sure to store them in fairly moist peat moss. After 120 days take the seeds out of the fridge and wait. Some may sprout the first year, buy normally it takes two. You would then give it a warm dormancy which is air temperature in your house and then when fall rolls around back in the refrigerator for another 90-120 days.  Some seeds will sprout in the third year as well. Its a good safety mechanism for the species.