Question
My son wants to do a science project and compare the growth rate of the following: kousa dogwood, crape myrtle, and the red maple.  His problem is the long time it takes for these seeds to germinate.  Can he rapidly increase the germination time to a matter of weeks? If so, how?  If not, can he buy seeds that are already germinated and ready to grow?  Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.  

Answer
Hi Priscilla,
Thanx for your question.  Crepe myrtle seeds will germinate in about 30 days or less.  Dogwood and red maple require one or more cold/warm periods.  You really can't speed it up to just a matter of weeks.  For most deciduous trees it will take one or more periods of 3-6 months of temperatures at 40 degrees or below to break the dormancy of the seed.  Then a warming period is required which induces the germiantion.  I'm sorry but I don't know of any company that sells pregerminated seeds.
Tom