Townsendia (condensata)

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:	Asteraceae
Family Common Name:	Sunflower family
Scientific Name:	Townsendia condensata Parry ex Gray
Common Name:	Cushion Townsendia
Species Code:	TOWCON
Ecotype:	Alpine slope, Glacier National Park, MT., 2100 m elevation.
General Distribution:	T. condensata is a short lived perennial which occupies talus and scree slopes at high elevations. It is found from Alberta to northwest Wyoming in scattered locations at high elevations.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	160 ml conetainers
Time To Grow:	6 Months
Target Specifications:	Height: 3 cm, 6 to 10 true leaves<br> Caliper: n/a<br> Root System: firm plug in conetainer.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are hand collected in late August when achenes turn gray and are easily removed from the disc. Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in a well ventilated drying shed prior to cleaning.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds are hand cleaned by screening. Seed longevity is estimated at 5 to 7 years at 3 to 5C in sealed containers. Seed dormancy is classified as non deep physiological dormancy. Seeds/Kg: 1,200,000/kg % Purity: 100% % Germination: 10 to 50%
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Dry storage of seeds for 5 months.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Outdoor nursery growing facility. Sowing Method: Direct Seeding. Seeds are lightly 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 conetainer.
Establishment Phase:	Medium is kept slightly moist during germination. Initial germination appeared uniform and occurred following 2 weeks of temperatures at 22C or above during the day.
Length of Establishment Phase:	4 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Root and shoot development occurs rapidly following germination. Plants were occasionally fertilized with 20-10-20 liquid NPK fertilizer at 100 ppm during the growing season. Do not over water seedlings. Plants were fully root tight 4 months after germination. Plants form flowers the following year.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	16 weeks
Hardening Phase:	Irrigation is gradually reduced in September and October. Plants are leached with clear water and fertilized with 10-20-20 liquid NPK fertilizer at 200 ppm during the hardening stage.
Length of Hardening Phase:	4 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Total Time To Harvest: 6 months Harvest Date: September Storage Conditions: Overwinter in outdoor nursery under insulating foam cover and snow.
Length of Storage:	5 months
References:	Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and Cronquist, 7th edition, University of Washington Press, 1973. Seeding Rate Statistics for Native and Introduced Species, Hassell, Wendel, U.S.D.I. and U.S.D.A., April 1996. Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination, Baskin and Baskin, Academic Press, 1998. Seed Germination Theory and Practice, Deno, Norman, Penn State University, 1993. Glacier National Park Native Plant Nursery Propagation Records, unpublished.

Citation:

Luna, Tara; Evans, Jeff; Wick, Dale. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Townsendia condensata Parry ex Gray plants 160 ml conetainers; USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/04/27). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.