Amelanchier (alnifolia)
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Mark E. Majerus USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center 99 South River Road, Rte. 2, Box 1189 Bridger, Montana 59014-9718 (406) 662-3579 (406) 662-3428 (fax) mmajerus@mt.nrcs.usda.gov http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/mtpmc |
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| Family Scientific Name: | Rosaceae | ||
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| Family Common Name: | Rose Family | ||
| Scientific Name: | Amelanchier alnifolia (Nutt.) Nutt.ex M. Roemer | ||
| Common Name: | Saskatoon serviceberry | ||
| Species Code: | AMEALN | ||
| Ecotype: | Numerous Glacier National Park ecotypes including NRCS accession numbers 9058333 (St. Mary Ranger Station), 9063637 (Quarter Circle Bridge), 9075852 (St. Mary Falls Horse Ramp), 9063634 (West Glacier), 9075853 (Rising Sun), and 9075854 (Bowman Lake Road) | ||
| Propagation Goal: | plants | ||
| Propagation Method: | seed | ||
| ProductType: | Container (plug) | ||
| Stock Type: | 10-cubic-inch conetainers | ||
| Time To Grow: | 1 Years | ||
| Propagule Processing: | Propagule Processing: Fruit cleans well in a DybvigT macerator. After maceration, float off light seed and debris with repeated rinsing in a bucket. Spread seed on kraft paper in a warm dry location for 24 to 48 hours. Minimal cleaning over a fanning mill may be needed to remove fine debris. Certain lots and collections have a high percentage of poorly filled or deformed seed so it may be necessary to over collect to meet target production. | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: | For container production, cold moist chill for 120 days at 34 to 37øF. | ||
| Hardening Phase: | Move containerized material (at least 2 months old) started in the greenhouse that winter to an outdoor hoophouse in late spring/early summer (i.e. "finish" the plants in the hoophouse). The hoophouse is ventilated but not cooled, and the containers are usually exposed to full sunlight for 2 to 4 weeks early in the season. The hoophouse is then covered with a 50% shade cloth until temperatures cool in the fall. Another option is to finish container plants and rooted cuttings in the greenhouse and then move them to the shaded hoophouse in late summer, allowing 30 to 60 days of hardening prior to winter. The shade is usually removed in late summer/early fall and replaced with clear plastic. The plants harden-off gradually in the hoophouse prior to winter. Bridger is characterized by a high number of solar days that keeps the environment inside the hoophouse relatively mild until winter. In the case of premature and severely cold weather, a small propane heater is used at keep temperatures above freezing. | ||
| Length of Hardening Phase: | As a standard practice, we allow a minimum of 30 days of hardening off prior to killing frost, 60 days is preferred. | ||
| Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: |
Since nearly all containerized stock is shipped dormant from Bridger in the spring, we overwinter containers in a hoophouse. The hoophouse is ventilated when temperatures reach 35 to 40øF and heated to maintain a temperature of 5 to 10øF. Containers as small as 10-cubic-inch conetainers overwinter well this way. The containers are placed on 2 inches of pea gravel and arranged in a side-by-side pattern. The stock is watered over the fall and winter as needed. If temperatures in the spring are too warm to assure dormancy, plant material that is designated for dormant spring planting is moved to a walk-in cooler (34 to 37øF, 80+% relative humidity) until shipping. Plants may be shipped with or without containers in heavy waxed boxes by priority ground mail (avoid weekend holdover at post offices). Length of Storage: Overwinters well for 6 months in various size containers in a hoophouse maintained above 5 to 10øF. |
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| Length of Storage: | 6 months | ||
| Other Comments: | Powdery mildew will sometimes develop on container plants but is relatively easy to control by managing the greenhouse environment or by fungicide application. We have no experience with vegetative propagation, although limited success has been reported. | ||
Citation:
Scianna, Joe. 2003. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Amelanchier alnifolia (Nutt.) Nutt.ex M. Roemer plants 10-cubic-inch conetainers; USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center Bridger, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/04/25). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
