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Festuca (idahoensis)

Dave Skinner
PMC Farm Manager
USDA NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center
Room 211A Hulbert Hall WSU
Pullman, Washington 99164-6211
509-335-9689
509-335-2940 (fax)
abbie@wsu.edu
http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/wapmc
Family Scientific Name: Poaceae
Family Common Name: Grass
Scientific Name: Festuca idahoensis Elmer
Common Name: Idaho fescue
Species Code: FEID
Ecotype: Paradise Creek drainage near Pullman, WA.
General Distribution: Native to mesic grasslands and openforest over much of temperate western North America from British Columbia south to California and east to New Mexico and Saskatchewan. Mean annual precipitation range is from 12-20 inches (USDA NRCS 2007).
Propagation Goal: plants
Propagation Method: seed
ProductType: Container (plug)
Time To Grow: 4 Months
Target Specifications: Tight root plug in container.
Propagule Collection: Seed ripens in mid-July. It is collected when the inflorescence begins to dry and the seed is in the soft to hard dough stage but before it shatters from the inflorescence. Seed can be stripped from the inflorescence or entire heads may be clipped. Harvested seed is stored in paper bags at room temperature until cleaned. Larger amounts are dried on tarps in a shed and threshed with a plot thresher, then stored in bags in an unheated room until cleaned.
Propagule Processing: Small amounts are rubbed to free the seed, then cleaned with an air column separator. Larger amounts are threshed with a hammermill or a plot thresher, then cleaned with air screen equipment. Clean seed is stored in controlled conditions at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 40% relative humidity. Seed is light brown in color.
450,000-520,000 seeds/lb (Hassell et al 1996).
450,000 seeds/lb (USDA NRCS 2007).
Pre-Planting Treatments: Seed germinates readily without pretreatment.
Maximum germination of seed from 4 eastern Oregon sites occurred at temperatures between 20 & 25oC (Doescher et al 1985). Young et al (1981) reported maximum germination with alternating temperatures of 15/20oC.
Idaho fescue seed may have a short after-ripening requirement. Goodwin et al (1995) found germination of seed from central Oregon was greater after seed had been stored for 6 months. They further found a wide variability in germination rates between seed crops from different years, depending on precipitation patterns. Seed from an alpine source in the Olympic National Park in Washington had higher germination after a 1 month after-ripening period (Kaye 1997). For seed lots tested in January over multiple years, unpublished data from the Pullman Plant Materials Center shows higher germination after 1 year for seed stored at 5oC and 40% relative humidity over seed harvested the preceding summer.
Growing Area Preparation/
Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:		 In January seed is sown in the greenhouse in 10 cu. in. Ray Leach Super cell conetainers filled with Sunshine #4 and covered lightly. Head space of ¬ to « inch is maintained in conetainers to allow deep watering. A thin layer of coarse grit is applied to the top of the planting soil to prevent seeds from floating during watering. Conetainers are watered deeply.
Establishment Phase: Medium is kept moist until germination occurs. Germination usually begins in 6-7 days and is complete in 12-14 days.
Length of Establishment Phase: 2 weeks
Active Growth Phase: Plants are watered deeply every other day and fertilized once per week with a complete, water soluble fertilizer containing micro-nutrients.
Length of Active Growth Phase: 60-75 days
Hardening Phase: Plants are moved to the cold frame in late March or early April, depending on weather conditions. They are watered every other day if the weather is cool, and every day during hot, dry spells.
Length of Hardening Phase: 2-4 weeks
Other Comments: Flowering and seed production occurs 1 year after transplanting. Seed production and seed germination varies widely from year to year.
References: Doescher, Paul, Richard Miller and Alma Winward. 1985. Effects of Moisture and Temperature on Germination of Idaho Fescue. Journal of Range Management. 38:317-320.
Goodwin, J.R., P.S. Doescher, and L.E. Eddleman. 1995. After-ripening in Festuca idahoensis Seeds: Adaptive dormancy and implications for Restoration. Restoration Ecology 3:137-142.
Hassell, Wendell, W. Rocky Beavers, Steve Ouellette, and Thomas Mitchell. 1996. Seeding Rate Statistics for Native and Introduced Species. USDI National Park Service and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. 25 pp.
Hitchcock, A.S. 1971. Manual of the Grasses of the United States. 2nd edition. Revised by Agnes Chase. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY. 2 volumes.
Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Seattle, WA. 730 pp.
Kaye, T.N. 1997. Seed Dormancy in High Elevation Plants: Implications for Ecology and Restoration. In, Kaye, T.N., A. Liston, R.M. Love, D. Luoma, R.J. Meinke, and M.V. Wilson [editors]. Conservation and Management of Native Plants and Fungi. Native Plant Society of Oregon, Corvallis, Oregon.
Parish, Roberta, Ray Coupe, and Dennis Lloyd (eds.). 1996. Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing, Vancouver, BC, Canada. 463 pp.
Piper, C.V., and R.K. Beattie. 1914. The Flora of Southeastern Washington and Adjacent Idaho. Lancaster, PA. Press of the New Era Printing Company. 296 p.
St. John, Harold. 1963. Flora of Southeastern Washington and of Adjacent Idaho. 3rd edition. Outdoor Pictures. Escondido, CA. 583 pp.
USDA ARS National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: http://www.ars-grin.gov2/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?448068 (16 February 2007).
USDA NRCS. 2007. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 16 February 2007). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
Young, J.A., R.A. Evans, R.E. Eckert, Jr. and R.D. Ensign. 1981. Germination Temperature Profiles for Idaho and Sheep Fescue and Canby Bluegrass. Agronomy Journal 73:716-720.

Citation:

Skinner, David M,. 2007. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Festuca idahoensis Elmer plants USDA NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center Pullman, Washington. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/23). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.