Seeds from 10 species were collected, sealed in fiberglass screen pouches, and stored under hardware-cloth cages on both a forest and cleared site for up to five years. At each site, half of the pouches were placed under leaf litter and the other half were planted in mineral soil.
Liquidambar styraciflua and
Callicarpa americana seeds had high germination rates under all conditions.
Quercus falcata, Sassafras albidum, Rhus copallina, and
Vaccinium arboreum required planting in mineral soil to ensure germination. Planted
Myrica cerifera and
Vitis aestivalis seeds germinated well on both sites.
Myrica cerifera also germinated well if placed under litter on the forest floor and
Vitis aestivalis if placed under litter on the cleared site. Germination of
Crataegus uniflora seeds was erratic. Most
Lonicera japonica were unsound when collected. Germination rates generally decreased over time, but some
Sassafras albidum, Myrica cerifera, and
Vaccinium arboreum seed germinated after four years, and
Rhus coppalina, Callicarpa americana, Crataegus uniflora, and
Vitis aestivalis seeds germinated after five years in the field.
Key words Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) - southern red oak (Quercus falcata Michx. var. falcata) - sassafras (Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees) - American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana L.) - oneflower hawthorn (Crataegus uniflora Muenchh.) - southern bayberry (Myrica cerifera L.) - shining sumac (Rhus copallina L.) - tree sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum Marsh.) - Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) - summer grape (Vitis aestivalis Michx.) - seed germination - soil seed bank