The beautiful pasqueflower is easy to grow and propagate yourself. In favorable locations the plant even reproduces itself; a property that you can take advantage of when planting an entire Pulsatilla bed.
How can pasque flowers be propagated?
To propagate pasque flowers, sow the seeds in late autumn and let them germinate cold, either outside or in the refrigerator. The plant also reproduces itself through rhizomes, which can be separated and replanted.
The necessary seeds
Pasque flowers seeds are available at any well-stocked gardening store. Alternatively, you can also collect the seeds yourself by cutting off the almost completely mature seeds from the pasque flower and letting them dry for some time.
Sowing in autumn
The pasqueflower is one of the cold germinators and needs the coolest temperatures possible so that the seeds sprout. For this reason, seeds are sown in late autumn when it gets noticeably colder. Follow these steps:
- Fill seed trays with good propagation substrate (€6.00 on Amazon).
- Sowing cover thinly with soil.
- Wet the substrate thoroughly with a sprayer.
Initiate cold germination
First place the cultivation containers in a warm place for about two weeks where the seeds can swell a little. Then put the shells in the garden so that the seeds are exposed to the cold stimuli necessary for germination.
Alternatively, you can simulate outdoor conditions in the refrigerator. Place the seed trays in the refrigerator for about two to eight weeks. How long the cold stimulus has to work depends somewhat on the seed. The pasqueflower reacts to temperature sums, which means that the seeds can only sprout when the negative temperature values added together are sufficient. It is therefore better to leave the bowls in the fridge a little too long rather than too short.
Care after germination
As soon as the temperatures rise, the small seedlings begin to grow. Even now, the temperature must not be too high and should not exceed ten degrees plus. If the small plants start fighting for space after a while, they have to be separated in order to continue to thrive.
When will it be moved to the bed?
Although it is possible to separate the small pasque flowers directly into the bed, we recommend continuing to care for the plants in the pot until early autumn and only then putting them outdoors.
Propagation by rhizomes
If the pasqueflower feels comfortable in its place, it reproduces vegetatively of its own accord. It forms long, underground roots that emerge from the ground some distance away from the mother plant and form small rosettes of leaves. A new pasque flower develops from these. As soon as the small pasque flowers have grown a little, you can carefully separate them from the mother plant and move them to the desired location.
