Encelia (californicia)

Michael Herrera Nursery Manager Catalina Island Conservancy PO Box 2739 Avalon, California 90704 (310) 510-2904 (310) 510-3157 (fax) mherrera@catalinaconservancy.org www.catalinaconservancy.org

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Family Scientific Name:	Asteraceae
Family Common Name:	Sunflower Family
Scientific Name:	Encelia californicia Nutt.
Common Name:	California Encelia
Species Code:	ENCCAL
Ecotype:	Catalina Island, California
General Distribution:	California Encelia is a common species found throughout southern California and the Channel islands. On Catalina Island, it inhabits sea bluffs and canyon slopes in coasal sage shrub communities and disturbed chaparral.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	1 gallon containers
Time To Grow:	5 Months
Target Specifications:	Height: N/A<br> Caliper: N/A<br> Root System: Firm root plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Achenes are hand collected when they are fully matured. We have collected achenes from March to August.
Propagule Processing:	Achenes dry in paper bags in a warm, dry room. We clean the seeds by screening it through a slotted pan to remove large debris. We use a seed blower set at 10 for 3 minutes to remove chaff. After seeds have been cleaned, they are stored under refrigeration in air tight glass containers at 40 F and40% RH. With 21 collections, seeds average 0.25 grams per 100 seeds.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	During seed germination tests, we soak seeds in Physan fungicide for 3 to 5 minutes or place them in a 5% bleach solution for 3 minutes. Germination percentages have varied from 0% to 92%.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	The James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery is located on Catalina Island off the coast of southern California. From 1993 to 2004, the average maximum and minimum temperatures have been 75.4 F and 46 F, with an average of 361 frost free days per year and annual rainfall of 14 inches. The facility is comprised of shade houses, mist propagation house, and an outdoor growing compound. All propagation environments are utilized at different stages of seedling growth to provide for the variance in temperature and shading requirements needed during the growing season. We irrigate all containers with an overhead emitter system in the shadehouses and use a drip system or hand water in the outdoor nursery.
Establishment Phase:	Seeds are germinated during winter months in a shadehouse were they remain for several weeks. Flats and containers are filled with a 1 inch layer of special seed germination mix of 1:1 (v:v) Sunshine Professional Growing Mix and sand on top of 4:1:1 (v:v:v) peat, perlite, and organic compost. We incorporate Osmocote time release fertilizer (9 month release rate) (14 N:14P2O5:14K2O) at the rate of « cup per 0.75 cubic yard of medium. Seeded flats are watered with an overhead emitter system as needed. Seeds begin to germinate 1 month after sowing.
Length of Establishment Phase:	1 month
Active Growth Phase:	After seedlings are well established and have at least 2 true leaves, they are transplanted into containers filled with a growing medium of 4:1:1 (v:v:v) peat, perlite, and organic compost. Osmocote time release fertilizer (9 mo release rate) (14 N:14P2O5:14K2O) is incorporated into the medium at a rate of of « cup per .75 cubic yards of medium. We prune plants when they are 4 inches tall to promote branching.By late June, we shift plants into 1 gallon containers. One gallon container stock is ready for outplanting the following year.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	4 months
Hardening Phase:	Any nursery stock grown under shadehouse conditions are hardened by placing them in full sun exposure for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to outplanting.
Length of Hardening Phase:	2 to 4 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Containerized seedlings are over wintered directly in the open growing compound.
Length of Storage:	Variable; depends on out planting date.

Citation:

Herrera, Mike. 2006. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Encelia californicia Nutt. plants 1 gallon containers; Catalina Island Conservancy Avalon, California. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/20). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.