Any tips for speeding up datura germination?

Last year I was lucky & ended up with 3 gorgeous daturas from plant trades. My gardener in training picked out a pkg of the Angel's Trumpet DBLE Golden Queen. A few years ago I started a lavender color datura and I had soaked it in a water with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. I think I will do that with the Angel's Trumpet.

In 2008, I soaked all my Datura seeds in a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide & water for 24 hours. 'Lilac Lefleur' germinated in 5 days, 'Double Black Currant Swirl' germinated in 30 days and 'Double Golden Queen' never germinated at all. I don't know what to tell you - hard to say whether or not the soaking worked. I wonder if they need bottom heat? I'll check my seed starting books...

I do soak, but will try the hydrogen peroxide I guess. I don't have a heat mat either, perhaps should invest in one.

Wanted to give a little brief "How To" for a certain species. It has been said that Datura quercifolia is one of the hardest Datura seeds to germinate. I have read it repeatedly stated on the internet. So I thought I'd share a few pointers...This species will not and I mean will not germinate before 30 days. It requires high moisture and warmth for germination. Therefore a medium that can be keep very moist without molding is best. Here are 2 methods I use and get almost 95% germination rate. Use moist vermiculite (seal them in a ziplock bag) and place in a sunny windowsill. Or use damp Bounty paper towel fold the seeds inside and place them in a ziplock bag, and wait 30 days. They are also errattic. But this will give you a 95% rate. Hope this helps and Happy Gardening!

Kim,

Is that the type I have: Angel's Trumpet Double Golden Queen
It doesn't have any other info on the package

No no no, Sorry I was just posting to the Datura forum. Because this species (quercifolia) can be hard to germinate. So if any readers are passing by they can not be dismayed by this species..lol. They do resemble the Lilac Le Fleur seeds. And 5 days was an awesome germination rate for that one. They are slow too..

Kim, Thanks for your advice. I got 3 daturas last year thru a plant swap so I didn't start any last year from seed. I did seed Lilac Le Fleur a couple of years ago and the darn thing boomed before it was 6 inches high. It bloomed all summer and I had to keep moving in different spots so that the dog didn't get hurt from the wicked seed pods. Good thing I had it in a container

Yessss I grew this lilac le fleur from seed. Wonderful plant. Wish the flowers were a little bigger though...mine took a while to bloom probably needed more sun.

Kim,

You have a great cubit started. You are welcome to tell us about it in a thread under the Garden Patio Forum called Cubit Review

LOL Where do I find that??!! I stay lost and confused around here

Here you go. http://cubits.org/Germination/...

I know white Datura self-propogate, but do the colored ones self-propogate.

I grew on thirty years ago, it did well, but location was not good so I did not keep it up; I have forgotten if it self-propogated.

Yes, Daturas are all self-propogate as you put it. Daturas need rich fertilized soil with temps over 70 degrees to germinate. If one wants to hand pollinate they need to do
it early before the blooms drop and pollinate itself. Some Daturas will grow if cold chilled. Hope this helps.