The Impacts on the Amount of Moisture in Showy Milkweed Stratification

The purpose of the study was to test the rates of vernalization and germination for showy milkweed seeds (Asclepias speciosa) in differing moisture vernalization. The researchers were evaluating the role of moisture on showy milkweed species. The research included containers with different saturation levels of water and allotted three weeks for the stratification process, then returned to collect the data of germination rates for the showy milkweed seeds. The results showed less moisture produced high rates of germination. The study implies that the seeds can grow in both environments but neither have rates high enough to favor one over the other. Ultimately, additional experiments can be done to find an optimal environment for higher rates of vernalization and germination.