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Bromus (purgans)

John M. Englert
USDA NRCS - Norman A. Berg National Plant Materials Center
Bldg. 509, BARC - East, E. Beaver Dam Road
Beltsville, Maryland 20705
(301) 504-8175
(301) 504-8741 (fax)
john.englert@wdc.usda.gov
http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/mdpmc/
Family Scientific Name: Poaceae
Family Common Name: Grass Family
Scientific Name: Bromus purgans
Common Name: Arctic brome
Species Code: BROPUR
Ecotype: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, Skyline Drive, 1200' elevation.
General Distribution: Bromus purgans is widely distributed from Quebec, south to northern Florida, and west to Alberta and Arizona; it is generally found in rich, moist woods and on rocky slopes.
Propagation Goal: plants
Propagation Method: vegetative
ProductType: Container (plug)
Stock Type: Container seedlings
Time To Grow: 11 Weeks
Target Specifications: Height: About 6-8" at out-planting after cutbacks. Root System: Firm plug in container.
Propagule Collection: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, by J. Englert 7/15/93, J. Kujawski, J. Englert 8/7/96; National Plant Materials Center, Maryland, by D. Dusty.
Pre-Planting Treatments: Seed Treatments: None, although 2 weeks of cold stratification @ 45 F improves the uniformity of germination in many cool season grasses.
Growing Area Preparation/
Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:		 Propagation Environment: Greenhouse with alternating day/night temperatures (set at 75/68F) during the winter. Fans, coolers and shade during the summer. No extended day-length.

Seed Propagation Method: Hand sown in germination plug trays.

Container Type and Volume: 392 and 72 plug trays.

Growing Media: Sunshine #5 with l8Oda Nutricote Plus total SR (18-6-8) @ 0.15lb/cu ft.
Establishment Phase: Sowing Date: Early spring, August for fall planting.

Emergence and Date: 3-4 weeks from sowing to first germination.

Sowing/Planting Technique: Direct sown in 72 plug trays @ 2 seeds per cell for germination test.

Establishment Phase: Hand-water, light fertilization as needed, cutbacks as seedlings get too spindly.
Active Growth Phase: Rapid Growth Phase: Cutbacks to enhance vigor and ease of watering. Infrequent fertilization.
Hardening Phase: Hardening Phase: 2-3 weeks prior to outplanting move plugs outside to sheltered location and stop fertilization.
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: Total Time to Harvest: 10-11 weeks from sowing to outplanting.

Harvest Date: Outplanted in spring, late fall.

Storage Conditions: N/A - Plugs are not over-wintered.
Length of Storage: <b>Storage Duration:</b> N/A
Other Comments: Plugs that weren't outplanted but held in the greenhouse for several weeks became pot bound and needed root pruning.
References: Manual of the Grasses of the United States, Hitchcock, 2nd edition, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950.

Manual of Vascular Plants, Gleason and Cronquist, D. Van Nostrand Co., 1963.

Citation:

Kujawski, Jennifer L.; Davis, Kathy M.. 2001. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Bromus purgans plants Container seedlings; USDA NRCS - Norman A. Berg National Plant Materials Center Beltsville, Maryland. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/11). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.