Elymus (virginicus)
|
Jan Schultz Forest Plant Ecologist USDA FS - Hiawatha National Forest 1030 Wright Street Marquette, Michigan 49855 906.228.8491 906.228.4484 (fax) jschultz@fs.fed.us http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/copmc/ |
|
| Family Scientific Name: | Gramineae | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Common Name: | Grass Family | ||
| Scientific Name: | Elymus virginicus L. | ||
| Common Name: | Virginia wild rye | ||
| Species Code: | ELV13 | ||
| General Distribution: | Low deciduous or sometimes coniferous woods and thickets, especially along stream banks and floodplains, open marshy shores and meadows. Grass with 6-10 leaves per plant. Up to 1 meter tall. | ||
| Propagation Goal: | plants | ||
| Propagation Method: | seed | ||
| ProductType: | Container (plug) | ||
| Time To Grow: | 0 | ||
| Propagule Collection: | Seed is collected by hand from locally native plants within the eastern central Upper Peninsula land. Flowers approximately June to August. Seed is an achene and is harvested in August. | ||
| Propagule Processing: | Dry seeds for 1 to 2 weeks in open paper bags or open Rubbermaid-style bins. Seed is not cleaned. Once seeds have dried out begin stratification. Keep in a cool dry place (refrigerator or cold garage) until planted. Cold store until planted (up to 3 years). | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: | Stratification: Use a Ziploc-style bag or a small Rubbermaid-style container to mix an equal amount of seeds with either perlite or vermiculite. Add a small amount of water. (There should be no visible water in the bag or container). Place in a refrigerator or cold garage (33-42 degrees F) for one month. Cold store until planted (up to 3 years). | ||
| Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops: |
Propagation Environment: Greenhouse film is made of Standard U.V. 3HL Clear 6 mil (J.R. Johnson's Greenhouse Supply Inc.) Fans run continuously to circulate the air. Vents open during the summer months to allow for cooling. Heat for the cold months. Container Type: grows best in 24 cell (2"diameter), 14"x8.5"x4" deep. Also grows successfully in a variety of other plug cell sizes and shapes. Growing Media: Scotts Redi-earth Plug and Seedling Mix. Contains vermiculite and sphagnum peat moss. Soil is sterile. Thoroughly moisten the soil with water, mixing in the water with a trowel. Cover holes in the bottom/sides of the plug tray cells with newspaper. Fill cells with damp soil and press soil down with a spoon. Refill the cell plugs with soil to the top, this time not pressing it down. Water the soil in the plug cells again. Sow the seeds by hand at a rate of about 5 seeds in each large cell. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil or gently press seeds into the dirt. Sow from January until July as needed. Relatively quick germination with approximately 75% germination. If seeds do not germinate within 2 months of planting, consider reseeding with seeds that were stratified for longer than the time specified. |
||
| Establishment Phase: | From Jan. until Aug. the greenhouse thermostat is set at 65 degrees F both day and night. Ambient greenhouse temperatures may reach 100 degrees F during the day in the summer. From Sept. thru Dec. the thermostat is set at 55 degrees F. During this season ambient greenhouse temperatures may reach 75 degrees F during the day. The greenhouse holds plants at all stages of growth so the temperature setting stays the same for all plants at all stages of growth. Soil is kept consistently damp during germination. Water using a fine mist or light hose setting only. Newly planted trays are placed on the south side of the greenhouse. No artificial light is used. | ||
| Active Growth Phase: | The soil does not need to be consistently moist. Move trays to cooler north greenhouse tables. No fertilizers are used. | ||
| Hardening Phase: | In early-late spring, mature plants can be moved into a cold frame with a cover of material that diffuses sunlight to prevent scorching of the plants. When danger of frost has passed leave plants outside. Water less frequently. | ||
| Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: | In the Upper Peninsula, flats are planted from late May to early October. Flats that are not planted in the summer remain in the greenhouse for another season. | ||
| Other Comments: | Similar in general appearance to Elymus canadensis. | ||
Citation:
Schultz, Jan; Beyer, Patty; Williams, Julie. 2001. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Elymus virginicus L. plants USDA FS - Hiawatha National Forest Marquette, Michigan. 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.
