Pinus maximartinezii seeds

Anybody know where I could purchase some viable seed?

 

You know this won't live through Vancouver winters, right?

 

I read an anecdote where a young specimen survived minus 23C. The coldest I have seen at my place is minus 16C. That species still might have some ice age genes in it as Mexico was far colder during the last ice age. Certainly willing to try a few seedlings and hope for an especially tough one...

 

Google turned up:

• Semences du Puy: Pinus maximartinezii (not currently in stock)
• The Greenss Shop: Mexican blue pine - 30 Seeds - Pinus maximartinezii

Very expensive seed. Is it a rarity?

 

Wow, thanks for the second link! I went through about 10 pages of google and didn't find anything for sale (any that did were out of stock).
Yes it is a very rare pine that has the largest pine nuts of any pine; About an inch long! It grows in a very small area ( a few square kilometers as I understand) in the Mexican highlands on private land and is endangered.

 

I just purchased 60 seeds online for $250. Hopefully they ship to Canada.

Works out to $19 Canadian:)

 

Very different conditions, though; in a semi-desert climate much further south where cold nights are followed by warmer daytime temperatures.

In Britain, it has failed to survive even in the mildest parts of Cornwall, being killed by -5°C.

 

Yep. One or two sharp nights followed immediately by summerlike weather is not the same as 2 weeks (or more) of Arctic conditions that freezes the root zone. Roots are much less hardy than tops.

 

I could mulch the root zone to insulate the roots in the fall. Where I am located we usually get some snow cover in the winter as well. My Mediteranean Pinus Pineas survived no problem last winter which was fairly cold.

Regardless it will be an inexpensive interesting experiment... I'll keep a few in the greenhouse as well and keep repotting until they get larger and hopefully hardier.

 

Cornwall is analagous to northern coastal California. Although there is some leaf burn during colder winters Pinus pinea has made occasional large specimens in Seattle, with many smaller examples known. Persisting of that Mediterranean region species in this area does not indicate the decidedly tender P. maximartinezii will grow outdoors here.

 

Well I certainly respect both of your opinions, as you two are very knowledgable about plants. As you have stated the pines will likely die in my climate, and I likely will be wasting my time trying this. However the purchase has been made so I will see what happens. It won't be the first time I have tried to grow tender plants in my climate and failed. In fact I can't think of any successes:)

Perhaps I could donate a few to an indoor arboretum somewhere...

 

They may not have it at Humboldt State University, be interested in a plant or two. The multiple rare conifers already there are being looked after by the Botany Department. Some are on the grounds, others are being grown in a greenhouse.

 

The Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver may be interested in a specimen.

 

i buy one in Lucca flower show (Murabilia) info of the nurseryman are for max -7° C. no info about expo,is good open sun?

 

Full sun, dawn to dusk (preferably not even any side shade from nearby trees). And good soil drainage.

 

many thanks:)

 

Hi, I am from Zacatecas, Mexico and my dad owns part of the territory where this tree grows. He also sells the nuts and the pinecones. If you are still interested I could sell you some.

 

I'm interested in cones as well as seeds....I'm located about 75 miles North of Atlanta

 

I stumbled upon this thread, hadn't looked at this website in years. If the original poster is still around id like to know how the seeds worked out.

I had been interested in some for a while and finally got fresh seed few weeks ago. I have had a Johan's pinyon for several years and its doing well. So maybe these will survive.

Reading the responses above it also occurs to me that the original poster could try grafting some maxi piñon shoots onto edulis rootstock which is frequently available from forestry suppliers out west... Just a thought

 

Mine are starting to germinate. Between an online source and a generous forum member i treated more or less 100. If germination is good ill have some to share.

 

Hope you have good germination...what kind of rooting medium are you using?

 

It is a soilless orchid type mix. Fir bark, turface, expanded shale, some peat and coir. Some osmocote fertilizer and a hibiscus fertilizer that has extra magnesium and iron. Several more pine nuts are pushing their way up so im excited about that. My keteleeria havent germinated, and im not optimistic. But i still have Arizona cypress, bald cypress, pinus patula, and seed from cupressus sempervirens "swanes golden". And my edulis seedlings are on way. Im going to graft some pinus remota scions on those, as well as one or two of my Johan's pinyon.

 

Two look like this I expected bluish, I got very green seedlings about 5 or 6 more still poking through soil, I expect more as we start to warm up

 

Looks robust and healthy enough, have you started counting cotyledons yet? lol I'm thinking "bluish" also but I've not germinated any yet.

 

18 or 19 cotyledons on both.