Vaccinium (myrtillus)

Lee Riley Horticulturist USDA FS - Dorena Genetic Resource Center 34963 Shoreview Road Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424 541-915-7324 541-767-5709 (fax) lee.riley@usda.gov

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Family Scientific Name:	Ericaceae
Family Common Name:	Heath
Scientific Name:	Vaccinium myrtillus
Common Name:	Whortleberry
Species Code:	VAMY2
Ecotype:	Deschutes National Forest, Oregon
General Distribution:	Western North America
Propagation Goal:	Plants
Propagation Method:	Seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	444 ml (27 in3) container
Time To Grow:	18 months
Target Specifications:	Stock Type: Container seedling Root System: Firm plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Collect the berries in the fall when ripe and store in a plastic bag at ~4 °C until extraction, within two weeks or so to prevent mold growth.
Propagule Processing:	Macerate berries thoroughly while still in plastic bag. Add water to bag to mix, and pour mixture in beaker. Add sufficient water. Water to berry mixture should be 3:1. Add pectinase (approximately 1 table spoon per liter) to volume and stir. Leave mixture at room temperature for 24 hours. Most seed should sink to bottom if filled and properly macerated initially. Pour off top layer of while gently mixing, or adding water from a faucet. Do not mix so violently that seed rises in the water column, but just enough that berry skin begins to float and pour off the non-seed debris. When seed is as clean as possible, pour wet seed onto paper towel and allow to dry. Pick out debris with tweezers. Dry to <38% RH. Store at 4 °C.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Due to small seed size, the easiest method is to sow seed into trays filled with stabilized medium plugs (Q-plugs). Trays are sealed inside plastic bags and placed into refrigeration at 1 to 3 °C for 60 days. Trays are checked weekly and kept moist throughout the stratification period. If mold is evident, trays should be treated with 1% hydrogen peroxide.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Vaccinium seeds require a climate-controlled facility with tight temperature and moisture requirements to germinate. Q-plugs are removed from stratification, lightly covered with nursery grit, and placed in a facility maintained at 100% RH; bench temperature maintained at 21 °C; air temperature maintained at 18 °C. Seedlings are transplanted to target containers approximately 3 to 4 weeks following emergence. Growing medium used is 40:20:20:20 peat:composted fir bark:perlite:pumice with Apex controlled release fertilizer (16N:5P2O5:10K2O with minors; 6 to 7 month release rate at 21C) at the rate of 2 gram Apex per 444 ml container.
Establishment Phase:	Germination is extremely slow, somewhat uneven, and may take up to 4 to 5 weeks to be complete. Once the majority of germination has occurred, q-plug trays are moved to a greenhouse and are fertilized for 3 weeks with soluble 12-2-14-6Ca-3Mg at 75 to 100 ppm.
Length of Establishment Phase:	6 to 7 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	In this size container, V. myrtillus will take up to 2 years to fill a container. During the first growing season, fertilization depends on weather and physiological needs. Soluble 20-9-20 NPK, 20-18-18 NPK, or 17-5-24 NPK at a range of 100 to 150 ppm is applied weekly throughout the growing season. In the spring on the second growing season, seedlings are hand-fertilized with Apex controlled release fertilizer (16N:5P2O5:10K2O; 6 to 7 month release rate at 21C) at the rate of 2 gram Apex per 444 ml container. Throughout the remainder of the growing season, seedlings are fertilized weekly with soluble 20-9-20 NPK or 20-18-18 NPK at a rate of 150 ppm.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	18 to 20 weeks
Hardening Phase:	No dry-down is done to induce dormancy. Seedlings are moved to an outdoor growing area in mid-September.
Length of Hardening Phase:	3 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Harvest Date: Mid-October Storage Conditions: Seedlings are usually outplanted in fall. No storage except in outdoor growing area. Plants are well irrigated prior to shipping and shipped in containers.
Other Comments:	Wetland classification: UPL
References:	Dorena Genetic Resource Center Propagation Records, unpublished. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Vaccinium myrtillus L. whortleberry. URL: https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=VAMY2 (accessed 10 Oct 2018).

Citation:

Riley, Lee E.; Smith, Haley S.; Klocke, Allison. 2018. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Vaccinium myrtillus Plants 444 ml (27 in3) container; USDA FS - Dorena Genetic Resource Center Cottage Grove, Oregon. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/11/23). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.