Best Method to Germinate Bald Cypress

[Ozz80]

I collected some bald cypress cones during my visit to a nearby arboretum (Karaca Arboretum in Yalova Turkey). Those trees are only found at arboretums here. As far as I know nobody in my local bonsai community grows bald cypress and no nursery sells it. So my plan is to germinate and keep a few for myself and give away the rest as gifts to friends.

What is the best method to germinate them? Is strafication required?

I also uploaded the photo of the cones that I was able to find and seeds from one cone. The cones on the tree that I could reach were still green. I could only collect from the ground. I don't know whether these belong to this year or not.

 

[newtown_arboretum]

Try planting half of the seeds now, stratify the other half. My one concern with this batch is that the cone had not yet turned brown.