Ranunculaceae (Ranunculus)

Protocol Information for:

Label_title:
Ranunculus (eschscholtzii)

Family Names:

Family Scientific Name:
Ranunculaceae

Family Common Name:
Buttercup family

Scientific Names:

Genus:
Ranunculus

Species:
eschscholtzii

Scientific Classification:

Scientific SubSpecies:

Species Authority:
Schlecht.

Scientific SubAuthority:

Authors:

Common Synonym:

Genus:

Species:

Synonym Classification:

Synonym SubSpecies:

Species Authority:

Synonym SubAuthority:

Other Information:

Common Name:
Subalpine buttercup

Species Code:
RANESC

Ecotype:
Subalpine meadows, Logan Pass, 2032m elev.ÿ

General Distribution:
R. eschscholtzii occurs in mountain meadows and talus slopes; from Alaska to California, east to Alberta, Rocky Mountain States, and Arizona.

Known Invasiveness:

Propagation Goal:
plants

Propagation Method:
seed

Product Type:
Container (plug)

Stock Type:
172 ml conetainers

Grow Time:
8 Months

Target Specifications:
Stock Type: Container seedling
Height: 4 cm, 6 to 10 true leaves
Caliper: n/a
Root System: Firm plug in container.

Propagation Collection:
Seeds are hand collected when achenes are turn tan during the month of August. Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in a well ventilated drying shed prior to cleaning.

Propagation Processing/Propagule Characteristics:
Seeds are cleaned using a hammermill, followed by an office clipper at NRCS.
Seed longevity is unknown.
Seed dormancy is classified as physiological dormancy.
Seeds/Kg: 3,500,000/kg
% Purity: 100%
% Germination: 50%

Pre-Planting Propagule Treatments:
5 month outdoor cold moist stratification. Germination occurs in early spring after snow melt under fluctuating temperatures.

Growing Area Preparation / Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:
Outdoor nursery growing facility.
Sowing Method: Direct Seeding. Seeds are covered with medium.
Growing medium used is 6:1:1 milled spaghnum peat, perlite, and vermiculite with Osmocote controlled release fertilizer (13N:13P2O5:13K2O; 8 to 9 month release rate at 21C) and Micromax fertilizer (12%S, 0.1%B, 0.5%Cu, 12%Fe, 2.5%Mn, 0.05%Mo, 1%Zn) at the rate of 1 gram of Osmocote and 0.20 gram of Micromax per 172 ml conetainer.
Conetainers are filled and sown in late fall and irrigated thoroughly prior to winter stratification.
Seedlings germinate in spring under fluctuating outdoor temperatures and are grown under full sun exposure. Seedlings are irrigated with Rainbird automatic irrigation system in early morning until containers are thoroughly leached.
Average growing season of nursery is from late April after snowmelt until October 15th.

Establishment Phase:
Seedlings are kept moist during germination. Seedlings emerge in early spring after snowmelt during cool spring temperatures.

Length of Establishment Phase:
4 weeks

Active Growth Phase:
Once seedlings are established, plants develop rapid shoot and root growth 2 to 4 weeks following germination. Seedlings have 4 to 6 true leaves 3 weeks after germination. Seedlings are fertilized with 13-13-13 liquid NPK at 100 ppm weekly during the growing season. Seedlings quickly fill conetainers and are root-tight in 10 weeks. Some individuals were flowering 8 weeks after germination.

Length of Active Growth Phase:
10 weeks

Hardening Phase:
Plants are fertilized with 10-20-20 liquid NPK in early fall; pots are leached with water, irrigation is gradually reduced through September and October.

Length of Hardening Phase:
4 weeks

Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:
Total Time To Harvest: 8 months
Harvest Date: August
Storage Conditions: Overwinter in outdoor nursery under insulating foam cover and snow.

Length of Storage:
5 months

Guidelines for Outplanting / Performance on Typical Sites:

Other Comments:
There is great variation in germination requirements in this genus.
R. eschscholtzii is a dark requiring species; No germination occurred when seeds were surface sown.
There are 4 botanical varieties: eschscholtzii, suksdorfii, trisectus, and alpinus.

References:
Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and Cronquist, Univ. of Washington Press, 7th printing, 1973.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, Second Edition, Deno, Norman, published 1993.

Glacier Park Native Plant Nursery Propagation Records, unpublished.

Citation:
Luna, Tara; Evans, Jeff; Wick, Dale. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Ranunculus eschscholtzii Schlecht. plants 172 ml conetainers; USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/27). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.

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