Thermopsis (montana)

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

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Family Scientific Name:	Fabaceae
Family Common Name:	Legume
Scientific Name:	Thermopsis montana Nutt.
Common Name:	Golden pea, Mountain thermopsis, False lupine
Species Code:	THMO6
Ecotype:	Palouse River near Potlatch, Idaho
General Distribution:	Northwestern US east to Montana and south to New Mexico, except California. Occurs in moist meadows, thickets, and open forest.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Time To Grow:	4 Months
Target Specifications:	Tight root plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are collected when the pods begin to split in July and August. Pods can be collected individually for maximum seed yield or the entire stalk may be cut.
Propagule Processing:	Small amounts are crushed by hand to free the seed, then cleaned with an air column separator. Larger amounts can be threshed with a hammermill, then cleaned with air screenequipment. Seeds are large and easy to clean.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	The seed coat restricts water uptake and germination is increased by scarification. Unpublished data from trials at the Pullman PMC showed 39% germination from untreated seed. Seed scarified in hot water at 180 degrees F germinated at 93%. Scarification at 210 degrees F resulted in 92% germination. Seed scarified by rubbing between two pieces of sandpaper attained 56% germination, but the degree of scarification is difficult to control. 100 seeds scratched with a needle to break the seed coat germinated at 84%, demonstrating that the sandpaper scarification was inadequate. Unscarified seed stratifed under cool, moist conditions for 30 days germinated at 26% and seed soaked in 110 degree F running tapwater for 3 hours prior to planting reached 29% germination.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Water is boiled, then removed from the heat source and allowed to cool to 180 degrees F., then seed is placed in the hot water. It is allowed to cool for several hours before planting. In January scarified 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 pea gravel is applied to prevent seeds from floating. Conetainers are watered deeply. Seed should be inoculated with the proper Rhizobium species prior to planting.
Establishment Phase:	Medium is kept moist until germination occurs. Germination occurs over a period of 1 month, although around 50% occurs within 10-14 days of planting. Germination of the other treatments also occurred over an extended period.
Length of Establishment Phase:	1 month
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:	2 months
Hardening Phase:	Plants aremoved 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:	Insects have been noticed to prey on the seed. Will thrive and spread when more palatable plants are heavily overgrazed (Craighead, et al. 1963).
References:	Craighead, John J., Frank C. Craighead, and Ray J. Davis. 1963. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston, MA. Faust, Ralph and Peggy Faust. 1999. Wildflowers of the Inland Northwest. Museum of North Idaho. Coeur d'Alene, ID. 141 pp. Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Seattle, WA. Larrison, Earl J. et al. 1974. Washington Wildflowers. The Seattle Audubon Society. Seattle, WA. 376 pp. Lyons, C.P. 1997. Wildflowers of Washington. Lone Pine Publishing, Renton, WA. 192 pp. Patterson, Patricia A, Kenneth E. Neiman, and Jonalea R. Tonn. 1985. Field Guide to Forest Plants of Northern Idaho. General Technical Report INT-180. USDA Forest Service Intermountain Research Station. Ogden, Utah. 246 pp. Piper, C.V. The Flora of the Palouse Region: Containing descriptions of all the psermatophytes and pteridophytes known to grow wild in the area within 35 kilometers of Pullman, Washington. Pullman, Washington Agricultural College and School of Science. 208 pp. Rickett, Harold W. 1973. Wildflowers of the United States: The Central Mountains and Plains. Vol. 6. (3 parts). McGraw Hill, New York. 666 pp. St. John, Harold. 1963. Flora of Southeastern Washington and of Adjacent Idaho. 3rd edition. Outdoor Pictures. Escondido, CA. Strickler, Dee. 1993. Wayside Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest. The Flower Press, Columbia Falls, MT. 272 pp. Taylor, Ronald J. 1992. Sagebrush Country. Mountain Press Publishing Co. Missoula, MT. 211 pp. USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Citation:

Skinner, David M,. 2005. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Thermopsis montana Nutt. plants USDA NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center Pullman, Washington. 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.