Grow sweetscent from seed by pressing the fluffy seed on moist mix and keeping that mix damp until seedlings show. Do not bury it.
Press the fluffy seed on the surface and keep it moist
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Depth | Press the seed onto moist mix; a light dusting of mix or fine gravel can hold it | Do not bury the seed |
| Light | Keep the tray bright; the seed needs light to germinate | Do not cover it with a thick layer of soil |
| Moisture | Keep the mix moist until seedlings appear, then keep those seedlings moist | Do not let the seedbed dry out |
| Timing | Winter-sow a pot outdoors, or start a tray late winter to mid-spring | Do not sow into a dry bed and wait as if it were a prairie daisy |
sweetscent comes readily from seed when the fluffy achenes sit on moist mix and stay damp. [1] Collect ripe heads in fall when they have turned fluffy, or sow a bought packet. Press the seed into the surface. A light sprinkle of mix or fine gravel can hold it without burying it. [2] Winter-sow a pot outdoors so cold and rain do the timing, or start a bright indoor tray from late winter into mid-spring. If nothing shows in two to three weeks, chill that pot about a month and try again. [3] Keep seedlings moist as they grow. This is not a dry-ground seedling. Move them into wet sun after they can handle the bed — see How to Grow Sweetscent for the grown plant. [4]
- Collect fluffy ripe seed in fall, or use a packet.
- Fill a pot or tray with moist seed mix. Press the seed onto the surface. Do not bury it.
- Winter-sow the pot outdoors, or keep an indoor tray bright and moist from late winter to mid-spring.
- If nothing shows in two to three weeks, chill the pot about a month, then bring it back to bright, moist conditions.
- Keep seedlings moist, then move them into a wet, sunny bed after frost.
Can I just sprinkle seeds on the ground?
Yes, onto bare moist soil in a rain garden or pond edge in fall or early spring. Press them in so they contact the soil, and keep that surface damp. A tray is easier to watch.
If the seed never comes up, it was probably buried, or the mix dried out. Next time press it on the surface and keep that mix moist until seedlings show.
FAQ
Can I grow it from cuttings?
Seed is the home method. A stem set in moist mix in spring can root, but most gardeners sow the fluffy seed instead of waiting on a cutting.
Can I collect my own seed?
Yes. Wait until the heads have turned fluffy, dry them, and store the seed cool and dry. The clump is often short-lived, so seedlings are how a patch stays.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Hayefield -
https://hayefield.com/product/pluchea-odorata-var-succulenta-sweetscent/ - [2] Florida Wildflower Foundation -
https://www.flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-pluchea-odorata/ - [3] Institute for Regional Conservation -
https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Plucodor - [4] Florida Native Plant Society -
https://www.fnps.org/plant/pluchea-odorata
This note is part of Pluchea Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors