How to Germinate Rosa Rugosa Seeds

Rosa rugosa seeds are tenacious. They survive being flown large distances in the bellies of birds that then deposit them. The hip holding the seeds floats across vast open ocean areas, surviving up to 40 weeks at sea; if the hip breaks open, the seeds float too and are viable after weeks in salt water. Over 80 percent of the seeds remain viable in most hips. The seeds require a period of cold before they will germinate. Provide that cold period at home to begin your journey toward raising attractive, hardy R. rugosa shrubs.

Small bowl
Sphagnum peat moss
Germinating container
Seed starting mix
Potting soil
Sharp sand or vermiculite
Spray bottle
Plastic wrap
Heat mat

Instructions

- 1
  Soak the R. rugosa seeds in a small bowl of warm water until they swell. This typically occurs within 24 hours.
- 2
  Place the R. rugosa seeds in a handful of slightly moist sphagnum peat moss. Place the bundle in a plastic sandwich-type bag and leave it in the refrigerator. How long to stratify the seed depends on several factors. If the seeds dried while in the hip, allow them to remain in the refrigerator for three months. If the seeds are fresh, or they dried outside the hip, refrigerate for five weeks.
- 3
  Fill the germinating container to within a half inch of the rim with a either moist seed-starting mix or equal parts of moist potting soil and sharp sand or vermiculite.
- 4
  Sprinkle vermiculite or sand over the seeds to lightly cover them and use water from a misting bottle to moisten the layer. Cover the container with plastic wrap.
- 5
  Place the germination container in an area with lots of indirect sunlight on a heat mat set to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the seeds don't germinate within several weeks, remove the plastic wrap. Place the container in a shady area outdoors and keep the soil moist. The seeds may need to go through another winter before germinating.

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