Dierama can be raised from seed very easily with fairy little effort.
Most Dierama flower June / July in the UK and are adored by pollinators, mainly bees and hoverflies. As a result seed production is usually copious. Once the petals fall from the flowers large round pea-like pods quickly form which have an attractive silver sheen. These gradually darken and turn russet brown in colour and the pods begin to split open to reveal the small orange/red seeds, usually in early September. Note; these must be collected fairly quickly, lest a strong breeze scatter them far and wide. Once carefully collected the seed should then be separated from the husk and stored in a cool dry place.
There is no dormancy mechanism to Dierama seed meaning it can be sown immediately. I would only recommend this if the seed can be grown on a heated mat or propagator at between 15 to 20oC. Otherwise the seed should be stored until the following spring when temperatures are high enough to induce germination. Germination levels for fresh seed are very high, so sow thinly to avoid damping-off disease. Seeds can be grown in seed trays or 9cm plastic pots using a general seed compost. Seed should be sown on the surface of the seed tray or pot then topped with 0.5 CM of vermiculite or horticultural grit. If kept moist germination usually occurs within 4 to 6 weeks. Seedlings can normally be pricked out 6 to 8 weeks after germination.
Please note it takes on average of 3 years from a seed to a flowering sized Dierama corm, so a little patience is required. Seedlings may also vary somewhat in appearance from the parent plant as hybridisation is common in this Genus. Non the less I would still recommend growing Dierama from seed as it is a fun and inexpensive way to multiply up stocks. Even though they may not come true from seed, we beleve all Dierama are beautiful, and you are likely to get a unique and robust hybrid as a result.
Happy gardening! We stock a range of Dierama here in our online shop Dierama – Hoyland Plant Centre
Hoyland Plant Centre