Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

Seed Collection Time:

Late spring — typically May through early June, soon after flowering ends.

Signs seeds are ready:

• After blooming, Spring Beauty forms small, oval seed capsules at the top of its slender flowering stems.

• Capsules turn from green to brown and begin to split open.

• Inside are round, shiny black seeds about the size of a pinhead.

• Seeds drop quickly, so timing is critical.

This species has a very short seed dispersal window — check plants daily in late spring.

Seed collection steps:

1. Harvest seed capsules just before or as they start to split.

2. Place capsules in a paper bag or tray and let dry for several days indoors.

3. Collect seeds as they fall out naturally.

4. Store in moist medium if not planting immediately — seeds lose viability if fully dried.

Germination tip:

• Requires double dormancy:

• W/C (Warm → Cold): Warm-moist stratification (~70°F for 60 days), followed by cold-moist stratification (~40°F for 90 days).

• Alternatively, sow fresh seeds outdoors in late spring or early summer to follow natural cycles.