Claytonia (megarhiza)

Tara Luna USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana 59936 (406) 888-7835 http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/azpmc

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Family Scientific Name:	Portulacaceae
Family Common Name:	Bitterroot family
Scientific Name:	Claytonia megarhiza (Gray) Parry
Common Name:	Alpine springbeauty
Species Code:	CLAMEG
Ecotype:	Alpine fellfield, Glacier National Park, Glacier Co., MT.
General Distribution:	C. megarhiza grows in rock crevices and talus slopes; from the Wenatchee mountains, Washington, and the Cascades of Oregon, east to Alberta, Montana, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	160 ml conetainer
Time To Grow:	8 Months
Target Specifications:	Stock Type: Container Seedling<br> Height: 4 to 6 true leaves, 2 cm<br> Caliper: n/a<br> Root System: firm plug in conetainer.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are collected in late summer when the capsules turn tan. Seeds are shiny black at maturity.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds are hand cleaned at the nursery. Seed Storage is at least 5 years under cool, dry conditions. Seed dormancy is classified as physiological dormancy. Seeds/Kg: unknown % Purity: 100% % Germination: 20%
Pre-Planting Treatments:	5 month outdoor cold moist stratification, Germination occurs at 21C.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Outdoor nursery growing facility. Sowing Method: Direct Seeding. Seeds are covered with medium. Growing medium used is 6:1:1 milled spaghnum peat,perlite, and vermiculite with Osmocote controlled release fertilizer (13N:13P2O5:13K2O; 8 to 9 month release rate at 21C) and Micromax fertilizer (12%S,0.1%B,0.5%Cu,12%Fe,2.5%Mn, 0.05%Mo,1%Zn) at the rate of 1 gram of Osmocote and 0.20 gram of Micromax per 172 ml conetainer. Conetainers are filled and sown in late fall and irrigated thoroughly prior to winter stratification. Seedlings germinate in spring under fluctuating outdoor temperatures and are grown under full sun exposure. Seedlings are irrigated with Rainbird automatic irrigation system in early morning until containers are thoroughly leached. Average growing season of nursery is from late April after snowmelt until October 15th.
Establishment Phase:	True leaves appeared 3 weeks after germination.
Length of Establishment Phase:	4 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Plants produced 4 to 6 true leaves in a tight rosette with a fleshy taproot. Plants were root tight in containers 5 weeks after germination. This high elevation species is adapted to very rapid growth and development following germination. Seedlings must dry down between irrigations.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	8 weeks
Hardening Phase:	Plants were outplanted the first year.
Other Comments:	There are 3 botanical varieties; var. nivalis, var. bellidifolia, and var. megarhiza.
References:	Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and Cronquist, Univ. of Washington Press, 7th printing, 1973. Glacier Park Native Plant Nursery Propagation Records, unpublished. Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition, Deno, Norman, publ. 1993. Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination, Baskin and Baskin, Academic Press, 1998.

Citation:

Luna, Tara; Evans, Jeff; Wick, Dale. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Claytonia megarhiza (Gray) Parry plants 160 ml conetainer; USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/04/19). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.