Simmondsia (chinensis)

Jean Graham Nursery Manager USDI NPS - Joshua Tree National Park Native Plant Nursery 74485 National Park Drive Twentynine Palms, California 92277 760-367-5565 http://www.ggnpa.org

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Family Scientific Name:	Simmondsiaceae
Family Common Name:	Jojoba Family
Scientific Name:	Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneid.
Common Synonym:	Buxus chinensis Link
Common Name:	Jojoba
Species Code:	SIMCHI
Ecotype:	Joshua Tree National Monument, California
General Distribution:	Simmondsia chinensis is found in the Little San Bernadino Mountains and Twenty Nine Palms region to Imperial, San Diego and Riverside counties of California south to Lower California.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	2 Gallon PVC Pipe container
Time To Grow:	12 Months
Target Specifications:	Height: N/A<br> Caliper: N/A<br> Root System: Firm Root Plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are hand collected in when pods have matured and begin to split open durig August.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds are allowed to dry for 4 to 6 weeks in paper bags in a warm, dry room. After seeds have been cleaned, they are stored under refrigeration in air tight containers at 7C.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seeds are soaked in water for 24 to 48 hrs to remove any inhibitors and to allow full imbibition of seeds prior to sowing. Seeds are directly sown to containers. Germination %:100%
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	The Joshua Tree Native Plant Nursery is located in the Mojave Desert of southern California and has an average of 250 frost free days per year and annual rainfall of 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in.) The facility is comprised of two greenhouses, shade structures, mist propagation beds 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 during the growing season. We irrigate all containers with an automated drip irrigation system.
Establishment Phase:	Seedlings are germinated during winter months in a small greenhouse were they remain for 4 weeks. Containers are watered with a drip irrigation system. Containers are filled with a growing medium of 2:1:1 (v:v:v) sand, mulch, perlite. Osmocote time release fertilizer (9 mo release rate) (13 N:13P2O5:13K2O) is incorporated into the medium at a rate of 22 g per 6l ( 2 gal) container.PVC containers are 37.5 cm tall(15 in) and are 15 cm (6 in)in diameter.
Length of Establishment Phase:	4 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Following establishment, seedlings are moved to a larger greenhouse with more temperature variance where they remain for another 4 weeks. Approximately 4 weeks old after transplanting, they are moved to the open growing compound that is covered with a 55% shadecloth during the summer months. During the months of intense summer heat, containers are irrigated by an automated drip system every other day with occasional deep irrigation to leach out accumulated salts.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	9 months
Hardening Phase:	Irrigation frequency and duration is gradually reduced for 4 to 8 weeks prior to out-planting. The shadecloth is removed from the open growing compound in October when daytime temperatures begin to cool. Nursery stock is top pruned at this stage.
Length of Hardening Phase:	2 months
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:

Graham, Jean. 2003. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneid. plants 2 Gallon PVC Pipe container; USDI NPS - Joshua Tree National Park Native Plant Nursery Twentynine Palms, 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.