Sacred Blue Lily germination in the lab | Nymphaea caerulea

A (long) introduction to the germination requirements of the Egyptian blue lily AKA Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea AKA the sacred blue lotus. I cover some of the sourcing/identification problems and present a sprouting protocol.

N. caerulea has a complex germination sequence that requires some effort to mimic in the lab. Dried seeds require acid scarification and crowding in a hypoxic environment to germinate well.

▾ Germination Procedure ▾
1. [optional] Soak seed in 70% Ethanol for 1 minute; rinse with water
2. [optional] Soak in 0.6% sodium hypochlorite solution for 20 minutes; rinse
3. Soak in 75% sulfuric acid for 1 minute; rinse 3x with water
4. Incubate in water at a ratio of 0.1-0.2 ml per seed at a constant 30 or 35°C

▾ More info on Nymphaea caerulea cultivation and my personal log ▾
► https://www.electricveg.com/nymphaeae...

▾ Research Report ▾
► https://www.electricveg.com/assets/do...

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▾ Video Chapters ▾
00:00 | Intro
00:39 | Identification Problems
02:50 | Sourcing Story
07:03 | Development
10:04 | Germination
13:14 | Protocol
15:19 | Alternatives
16:10 | Closing

▾ Image credits ▾
Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Smithsonian Institution, NMNH, Botany, Public domain "01047026.tif" - Nymphaea caerulea Savigny Collected in Ethiopia