Prunus (virginiana)
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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/ |
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| Family Scientific Name: | Rosaceae | ||
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| Family Common Name: | Rose Family | ||
| Scientific Name: | Prunus virginiana L. | ||
| Common Name: | Chokecherry | ||
| Species Code: | PRVI | ||
| General Distribution: | Almost everywhere except wet ground. Species of fencerows, roadsides, dry open rocky and sandy ground, shores and openings as well as dune thickets, jack pine plains, river banks, and borders of woods and in thin woods. A shrub or small tree. | ||
| 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. Flowers from April to July. Seed is harvested from August to September. Berry-like pommes. Fruit is deep red-purple when ripe. Extremely astringent, mouth puckering! | ||
| Propagule Processing: | Remove the pulp as soon as possible after picking by stripping of the pulp by hand or lightly in a blender with water or rubbing the berry on a sieve and floating off the pulp. Dry seeds for 1 week. Once the seeds have dried begin stratification. | ||
| 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 within the bag or container). Place in a refrigerator or cold garage (33-42 degrees F) for three to six months. 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 6mil (J.R. Johnson's Greenhouse Supply Inc.) Fans run continuously to circulate the air. Vents open during the summer months to allow for cooling. Container Type: grows best in 24 cell (2"diameter) 14"x8.5"x4" deep flats, and other flats with 2" diameter or more and depths of 4" or more. Sowing Media: Scotts Redi-earth Plug and Seedling Mix. Contains vermiculite, and sphagnum peat moss. Soil is sterile. Thoroughly moisten the soil withwater, mixing in the water with a trowel. Cover the holes on the bottom/sides of the plug tray cells with newspaper so that the soil does not fall out. 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 1 seed in each small cell and 2 seeds in each cell with a diameter greater than 2.5". Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil or gently press the seeds into the dirt. Sow chokecherry seeds at all times of the year due to their unpredictable germination. |
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| Establishment Phase: | From January until August 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. through Dec. the thermostat is set at 55 degrees F. During this season ambient greenhouse temperatures may reach 75 degrees F during the day. 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. The greenhouse holds plants at all stages of growth so the temperature setting stays the same for all plants at all stages of growth. Plant trays are moved 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: | Eaten by many birds and mammals. Is one of the most widely distributed trees in North America. In young woods and thickets. | ||
Citation:
Schultz, Jan; Beyer, Patty; Williams, Julie. 2002. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Prunus virginiana L. plants USDA FS - Hiawatha National Forest Marquette, Michigan. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/23). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
