Click here to send an email to the Seed Exchange manager.
The seed exchange has been running for well over 20 years and most members have reported excellent results from the seed that has been distributed. It is important to ensure that these high standards are maintained.
If you are not sure of the identity of a plant whose seeds you would like to donate, please send some photographs or background information.
To aid conservation of as many kinds of Meconopsis as possible in cultivation, we aim to include subspecies and variety names as well as the species name. Again, if you don't know, photos or other information may help. And if you don't have these things, send the seed anyway, and we will try to provide identification when plants grow and flower.
Mid July Reminder to collect seed.
Priority in seed allocation is given to donors and a reminder is sent out in mid July for members to collect seed in order to make seed donations.
Cleaned, dry seed should be sent (2nd class LARGE in the UK) to the Seed Exchange Manager at the address given above, to arrive by October 22nd.
Seed can be accepted after this date if a list of promised seed is sent by e-mail prior to the deadline.
July – September
Collect and clean seed.
Some hybrids (e.g. Meconopsis ×cookei) are sterile and only produce small abortive seeds. Other hybrids (e.g. Meconopsis ×beamishii) produce fertile seeds, which will germinate to produce plants that are similar to the parents, within the range of normal characteristics.
In cases of doubt the seed exchange manager can give advice. The F1 seed from named clones (e.g. Meconopsis 'Jimmy Bayne', Meconopsis 'Barney's Blue' etc.) will be accepted by the seed exchange and listed with a MGS# number as ‘Research Seed’. This seed is intended for research and hybridising purposes only. Seed of 2nd and 3rd generation (e.g. Meconopsis ex ‘Jim’s Ex’) should be sent to other seed exchanges.
Early October
Packet and label clean, dry seed.
By 22nd October
Submit donation.
Companion plants
The Meconopsis Group seed exchange will also accept seed of some choice ‘companion plants’ to augment the main Meconopsis seed list. These are plants that would grow in similar conditions to Meconopsis. However, the range has increased beyond what might have been expected of a specialist group.
We have therefore decided that donations of companion plant seed should be restricted to species in the five most popular genera – Lilium, Nomocharis, Omphalogramma, Primula, and Trillium.
For example:
Omphalogramma delavayi
Primula bhutanica
Wild-collected seed
The reputation of The Meconopsis Group is at risk if we offer seed that has been collected illegally, or that does not have permission for distribution. This could do harm to future attempts by people who want to collect legitimately. The Meconopsis Group is not able to check every seed submission, so please do not submit seed that would put our reputation at risk. Please also retain documentation giving any relevant permission for as long as possible.
Genetic material collected from the wild since October 12th 2014 is covered by the Nagoya Protocol, which is legally binding in the UK. For material from signatory countries, unless there is written consent from the country of origin, ‘utilization’ is not permitted. This includes development and sale of new named cultivars and hybrids as well as production of new drugs and other products. Cultivation, privately or commercially, is permitted. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, you should not assume that seeds in this list have consent for utilisation as described above.
