For many species and seed sources used in restoration activities, specific seed germination requirements are often unknown. Because seed dormancy and germination traits can be constrained by phylogenetic history, related species are often assumed to have similar traits. However, significant variation in these traits is also present within species as a result of adaptation to local climatic conditions. A growing number of studies have attempted to disentangle how phylogeny and climate influence seed dormancy and germination traits, but they have focused primarily on species-level effects, ignoring potential population-level variation. We examined the relationships between phylogeny, climate, and seed dormancy and germination traits for 24 populations of eight native, restoration-relevant forb species found in a wide range of climatic conditions in the Southwest United States. The seeds were exposed to eight temperature and stratification length regimes designed to mimic regional climatic conditions. Phylogenetic relatedness, overall climatic conditions, and temperature conditions at the site were all significantly correlated with final germination response, with significant among-population variation in germination response across incubation treatments for seven of our eight study species. Notably, germination during stratification was significantly predicted by precipitation seasonality and differed significantly among populations for seven species. While previous studies have not examined germination during stratification as a potential trait influencing overall germination response, our results suggest that this trait should be included in germination studies as well as seed sourcing decisions. Results of this study deepen our understanding of the relationships between source climate, species identity, and germination, leading to improved seed sourcing decisions for restorations.

Premise The effective ex situ conservation of exceptional plants, whether in living collections or cryo‐collections, requires more resources than the conservation of other species. Because of their expertise with rare plants, botanical gardens are well positioned to lead this effort, but a well‐developed strategy requires a clear understanding of the resources needed. Methods Grant funding was obtained from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to support a three‐year project on cryobanking, and to provide smaller grants to 10 other botanical gardens for one‐year projects on either (1) seed behavior studies or (2) the development of protocols for in vitro propagation or cryopreservation. Results Nine of the partner gardens worked on 19 species (one was unable to continue due to the COVID‐19 pandemic), while the larger project focused on 14 species. A point system was developed for tasks accomplished, and the average costs per point of the larger and smaller projects were similar. Labor accounted for half the costs. Projects focused on species in the Asteraceae and Orchidaceae had lower costs per point than other species. Discussion Both large and small projects can contribute to a strategy for exceptional plant conservation for similar costs. Prioritizing species with lower costs could help advance the field while allowing time for work on more difficult species to develop.

Premise To conserve native plants, many institutions are turning toward ex‐situ conservation methods, such as storage in seed banks; however, not all seeds are able to survive in seed bank conditions, or may not in the long term. Experimental aging has shown that alpine species lose viability more quickly than low‐elevation species. Furthermore, the germination requirements for rare species are largely unknown, but are a necessary first step in understanding storage behavior and viability decline. Methods Five alpine species were subjected to germination and accelerated aging experiments to understand their longevity in storage. For the accelerated aging experiment, the seeds were rehydrated in a dark incubator and subsequently placed in a drying oven. Following the aging process, the seeds were placed into previously determined germination conditions. Results All species had p 50 values of <13.7 days, which is the threshold to consider a species short lived. These results suggest that we cannot haphazardly store seeds and assume that all species will survive for decades. Discussion Accelerated aging experiments are not a perfect measure of seed longevity, and true longevity needs to be empirically determined. However, this experimental method allows us to predict which species may be short lived and whether alternative ex‐situ conservation methods might be needed beyond conventional seed banking.

If sufficient seedling establishment can be achieved, seed‐based restoration provides an affordable, active restoration approach that can be implemented quickly at scale. However, establishment has served as a major restoration bottleneck, highlighting the need for improved understanding of seed germination niche and interactions with site conditions. Germination niche breadth (NB) is expected to increase with gene flow, resulting in broader environmental tolerance range, reduced sensitivity to site conditions, and less variation among seed sources. To investigate how germination NB relates to inter‐ and intraspecific variation in establishment from seed, we compared field recruitment for two milkweeds (Asclepias), the larval host plant of the monarch butterfly and thus a high priority group for habitat creation. Consistent with species‐level NB derived from laboratory trials, there was strong evidence that early life stages of the habitat specialist (Asclepias incarnata) varied among seed collection regions (separated by 423–572 km) but no evidence that the generalist (A. syriaca) varied among seed sources collected across an approximately 750‐km transect. Regeneration trends demonstrate that A. incarnata is significantly more sensitive to seed source and therefore requires more restricted seed zones. However, climate change may necessitate that we separate seed collection zones from seed application zones, upending the traditional framework of seed transfer zones. Until taxon‐specific studies have identified the scale of adaptive, phenotypic variance, restoration practitioners should continue to adjust the scale of seed collection zones for milkweeds and other taxa based on species traits known to influence gene flow, such as abundance and habitat specificity.