collecting native plant seed - revegetatin fact sheet

8/9/2019 Collecting Native Plant Seed - Revegetatin Fact Sheet

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Revegetation Fact Sheet

Collecting nativeplant seed

Collecting your own seed from local vegetation for revegetation projects has many advantages. Youwill learn what plants are on your property and inyour area and have the most suitable species for your local conditions. This not only increases thesurvival rates of the seedlings but preserves agenetic resource as well. Collecting seed can be arewarding and inexpensive part of your revegetation project.

Identifying speciesIt is important to be able to identify and havesome knowledge about the species you arecollecting so you can:

Collect the right species for the site andprojectRecognize when seed is mature and ready tocollectKnow when to sow and understandgermination requirements

There are many books, web sites and revegetationorganisations that can assist in identifying speciesand provide guidance in the collection andgrowing of native plants.

Local seed or provenance As plants have adapted to local conditions,variations within a species has evolved over thousands of years to produce provenances. Theseprovenances can vary greatly from size and formthrough to frost or drought tolerance. Whencollecting seed for a specific site it is important tocollect from plants as close to the site as possible.This ensures that plants with the same provenance

will have the greatest chance of survival.

When to harvestSeed harvest will vary depending on climate,species, region and seasonal variations. Checkthe flowering times of the species you wish tocollect and visit the area regularly to check on theseed. A hot weather burst can accelerate ripening.

Senna

When collecting seed follow these usefulguidelines: Ensure that the fruits you are collecting are

matureCollect from healthy, strong plantsDo not take more than 10% of the seed presentCollect from as many different plants aspossible of the same species in the same areaDo not collect from isolated plants, as thesetend to produce poor quality seed

Collect from all over the plant if possibleCollect seed to match the site according to soiltype, rainfall etcIf revegetating a sand dune, collect seed, if possible, from nearby dune vegetationLabel with plant name, location and date.

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Eucalyptus gracilis



Native grasses - Austrodathonia, Chlorisand AustrostipaGenerally as seed heads ripen they begin to dryand change to a pale brown colour. Harvest seedheads as soon as ripening starts either by handand place in a large paper bag to collect releasedseed, or by slashing grasses and spreading thehay immediately on the site to be sown (seeNative Grasses fact sheetin this series).

Plants with woody fruits - Eucalypt,Melaleuca, Callitris, Allocasuarina andBanksiaWoody fruits often remain closed and persistent onthe plant. They are generally ready to collect whenthe fruits are hard and the colour changes fromgreen to grey-brown. To check on maturity in

eucalypts cut a fruit open and seeds will be a tan,reddish-brown to black colour. Individual fruits or branches with fruits can beremoved and placed in traysor paper bags. Larger specimens can be placed ona tarpaulin and allowed todry. After several days toweeks the fruits openreleasing the seed.

Plants with pods - Acacias, Davesia andKennediaCollect when pods become dry and changecolour from green to brown. Pods usually split onmaturity, allowing seeds to be dispersed so theplants must be checked regularly. Pods can behand stripped or caught on a tarpaulin spreadunderneath the plant and shaken to dislodge theseeds and pods.

Fleshy fruits - Dianella, Enchylaena andRhagodiaFleshy fruits soften and often change colour whenmature. Hand strip fruits when ripe and removeflesh by crushing and washing in water, thenspread out in theopen air to dry.Many species canshow an increase ingermination whenthe fruit is removed.

Sedges and Rushes - Gahnia, Juncus andCarex Collect seed heads andplace in paper bags todry. Rub seed headsbetween hands to extractthe seed.

Leptospermum

Callistemon

Maireana

Dodonea

Bursaria

Kennedia

Enchylaena Juncus

Austrostipa seed

Chloris

SEED COLLECTING

Papery fruit - Dodonaea, Bursaria andMaireanaSeed is ripe when the papery capsules are dry andoften change colour to brown. Capsules developquickly after flowering so it is important to checkplants regularly. It is recommended to open thecapsule and check that the seed is mature beforecollecting.



Seed extraction After drying, the seed should be extracted from thefruits and the method used will vary depending onthe species. Woody fruits such as eucalypts can betapped against the side of a container. Whilemost acacias release their seed easily, some needto be manually removed from their pods.

Banksia fruits can be singed in a fire to open thevalves and release the seed.

Some species with papery capsules or seed headswill need to be broken up by rubbing between thehands or crushing to release the seed.

For fleshy fruits it is best to remove the flesh beforedrying. To extract the seed from the flesh soak inwater to soften then gently crush the fruits, theycan be rubbed in a sieve to separate the fleshfrom the seed. Wash away the flesh and drain.Spread out in the open air to dry

Cleaning and StorageWhen seed has been extracted from the fruitsremove any rubbish such as leaves, twigs and dirtbefore storage by sieving or winnowing (blowingor using a fan to remove rubbish).

Before storing check that the seed is completelydry. Place each seed lot in a separate airtightcontainer and label with the plant name, locationand date. Viability will be determined by theconditions the seed is stored under. To helpprolong the life of the seed always fill the container with seed and store in a dry, dark, cool place andcheck at intervals for any fungal, insect or rodentproblems.

Safety

Always play it safe by wearing the appropriatesafety equipment. Safety glasses, leather glovesand strong footwear should be worn and if removing branches above your head also a safetyhat. Wear a dust mask or respirator when cleaningor sieving seed as the dust can cause irritation to airways.

Daisy type flowers - Olearia, Helichrysumand SenecioSeed is mature when the centre of the seed headbecomes loose and seeds are easily removed.Harvest by hand on a warm dry day and place inpaper bags to dry with an insect strip, as they areprone to insect attack. Some daisy type speciesproduce very few viable seed, rub between handsto remove the seed.

Recovering dropped seedIn some species it is possible to recover droppedseed from beneath the plant by raking or vacuuming. Seed harvested this way will contain agood deal of leaf litter and topsoil and will need tobe sieved to remove the rubbish. This method of collecting usually produces a lower seed yield butis useful if optimum harvest time is missed.

Drying Spread out fruit on a tarpaulin, newspaper or in

trays in the open air in warm, dry, sunny weather,out of windy conditions and safe from birds, antsand rodents. Under these conditions it will take afew days to a couple of weeks for some species,for the fruits to dry and open. If drying inside, makesure the room is well ventilated and turn the fruitsregularly. Remove any plant material before dryingthat may mix with the seed and be difficult toremove when cleaning.

Olearia

Acacia - dropped seed



Although the Murray Mallee Local Action Planning Association has taken all reasonable care in preparing this information,neither the Association or its officers accept any liability resulting from the interpretation or use of the information .

Obtain permissionTo collect native seed from Forest Reserves,National parks and Wildlife Reserves, Crown Land,roadsides and local council reserves a permit isrequired from the National Parks & Wildlife,

Department of Environment and Heritage. Writtenapproval must also be obtained from themanagement authority before collecting.

On private land, written permission must besought from the landholder.

Check with the Department of Environment andHeritage before collecting.

For further information contact:Murray Mallee LAP, PO Box 2056, Murray Bridge SA 5253, ph: 08 8531 2066

Produced by Barbara Martin, hetta designs 2005

Tools needed for collecting will depend on thespecies and quantity required. For small projectsjust secateurs and paper bags may suffice.SecateursPruning sawSievesTarpaulinLarge and small paper bags or sacks for larger samplesTelescopic long-handled pruner Permanent pen and paper for labellingSafety equipment

EQUIPMENT

The Murray Mallee LAP has seed collectingequipment available to lend at the Murray Bridgeoffice including sieves, secateurs, tarpaulins,telescopic pruners and long-handle loppers.

collecting native plant seed - revegetatin fact sheet

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