Germination temperature
Cool to mild. Central Himalayan conifers germinated best at 25 °C (77 °F) in one study; Himalayan cypress prefers cool, fluctuating temperatures.
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7 growing guides
Pines, cedars, cypresses, junipers, arborvitae and podocarps can all be raised from seed in a nursery bed or pots. Some sprout in a few weeks; others need months of moist chilling first.
Conifers are cone-bearing trees and shrubs: pines, true cedars such as deodar, cypresses, junipers, oriental arborvitae and podocarps. Most are evergreen with needle-like or scale-like leaves. Their seeds develop on the scales of woody cones, except in junipers, whose small fleshy cones are known as berries, and podocarps, whose seed sits on a fleshy stalk. Raising conifers from seed is slow but simple: sow shallowly in a well-drained nursery bed or containers, keep seedlings lightly shaded in their first months, and grow them on for one to several years before planting out. The main difference between species is dormancy, which decides whether seed needs a cold, moist pre-treatment.
Cool to mild. Central Himalayan conifers germinated best at 25 °C (77 °F) in one study; Himalayan cypress prefers cool, fluctuating temperatures.
Deodar, chir pine and cypress mostly within 3-5 weeks; stratified juniper seed starts after 6-10 days, untreated juniper may wait a year or more.
Many pines need none, but cold, moist stratification improves even germination; strongly dormant seed needs 60-90 days or more of moist chilling (USDA). Junipers often need warm, then cold stratification.
Shallow: about 3-19 mm (1/8-3/4 in) for pines depending on seed size; deeper sowing delays or prevents emergence.
Open the guide that matches the seed name on your packet.
Spring, or autumn for seed that needs natural chilling, in temperate climates and Indian hills; the cool season on the Indian plains.
One to two years for cypress, juniper and arborvitae; several years for deodar.
Read the species guide first. Chir pine, deodar and arborvitae sprout readily (deodar more evenly after 2-4 weeks of cold, moist storage); stone pines and junipers need months of stratification.
Mix seed with damp sand or peat in a bag and keep it at about 0-5 °C (32-41 °F) for the time the guide gives. A common USDA pine method first soaks seed in water for about 36-40 hours, then chills it.
Sow in a nursery bed, deep pots or root trainers, cover with a thin layer of fine soil or grit, and keep evenly moist but never waterlogged.
Give light shade during germination and early growth, guard against birds and rodents, and water sparingly to limit damping off. Move seedlings young; many conifers form a deep taproot.
Pine seed is orthodox: dried to 5-10% moisture it keeps for years in sealed containers in cold storage. Fleshy-coated podocarp seed should be cleaned and sown fresh.
Deodar cedar, chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) and oriental arborvitae: seed germinates within weeks with little or no pre-treatment.
Himalayan cypress (Cupressus torulosa) and Kashmir cypress: small seed that prefers cool, fluctuating temperatures and a short stratification.
Mountain juniper and the stone pines in the pine guide: plan for months of warm and cold stratification and a slow start.
Podocarpus (Afrocarpus falcatus): remove the fleshy coat, sow fresh into deep pots and allow up to several months for germination.
Small conifer seed buried deeper than advised may never emerge. Cover only lightly.
Dormant seed sown untreated may wait a year or rot. Check the guide and chill seed for the stated time.
Wet, dense mixes cause damping off. Use free-draining mix and water lightly.
Room-temperature storage shortens seed life, especially after cold storage. Keep seed cool and dry until you sow.
Start with an easy species such as deodar or chir pine and sow in cool weather.
No. Chir pine, deodar and oriental arborvitae germinate within weeks with little or no treatment. Junipers and stone pines are deeply dormant and need months of moist chilling, often after a warm period.
Most are grown on in pots or nursery beds for one to two years; slow species such as deodar for several years.
Mountain conifers such as deodar and Himalayan cypress need cool conditions; on the plains sow in the cool season and choose heat-tolerant species where possible.