Verbenaceae (Verbena)
Verbena (lasiostachys)
Verbenaceae
Vervain Family
Verbena
lasiostachys
Link
Verbena
robusta
Greene
Western vervain
VERLAS
Catalina Island, California
Western vervain is found in Oregon and California and the Channel islands. On Catalina Island, it inhabits pond margins, marshes and canyon streambeds.
plants
seed
Container (plug)
Deepot 40 (40 cubic inches)
7 Months
Height: N/A
Caliper: N/A
Root System: Firm root plug in container.
Seeds are hand collected when they are fully matured. We have collected seeds in July and August.
Seeds dry in paper bags in a warm, dry room. We clean the seeds sifting material through a Graimans brand "K" pan. We blow product at 5 settting for 3 minutes and at 9 setting for 2 minutes.
After seeds have been cleaned, they are stored under refrigeration in air tight glass containers at 40 F and 40% RH. With 7 collections, seeds average 0.027 grams per 100 seeds.
We have used a 5 minute 5% bleach solution to surface sterilize seed coats prior to testing or sowing.
We place seeds into a 6.5 week cold, moist stratification at 40 F for 6.5 weeks, however, we have obtained excellent germination without stratifying seeds.
Germination percentages have ranged from 34 to 74%.
The James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery is located on Catalina Island off the coast of southern California. From 1993 to 2004, the average maximum and minimum temperatures have been 75.4 F and 46 F, with an average of 361 frost free days per year and annual rainfall of 14 inches.
The facility is comprised of shade houses, mist propagation house, and an outdoor growing area. All propagation environments are utilized at different stages of seedling growth to provide for the variance in temperature and shading requirements needed during the growing season. We irrigate all containers with an overhead emitter system in the shadehouses and use a drip system or hand water in the outdoor nursery.
Seeds are germinated during early fall in a shadehouse were they remain for several weeks. Seeds are directly sown into flats filled with a 1 inch layer of special seed germination mix of 1:1 (v:v) Sunshine Professional Growing Mix and sand on top of 4:1:1 (v:v:v) peat, perlite, and organic compost. We incorporate Osmocote time release fertilizer (9 month release rate) (14 N:14P2O5:14K2O) at the rate of « cup per 0.75 cubic yard of medium. Seeded flats are watered with an overhead emitter system as needed.
Seeds germinate 2 to 6 weeks after sowing.
1 to 2 months
After seedlings are well established and have at least 2 true leaves, they are transplanted into Deepot 40 (40 cubic inch)containers filled with a growing medium of 4:1:1 (v:v:v) peat, perlite, and organic compost. Osmocote time release fertilizer (9 mo release rate) (14 N:14P2O5:14K2O) is incorporated into the medium at a rate of of « cup per .75 cubic yards of medium. Following transplanting, seedlings are moved to another shadehouse with more temperature variance where they remain for several weeks.
5 months
Any nursery stock grown under shadehouse conditions are hardened by placing them in full sun exposure for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to outplanting.
2 to 4 weeks
Containerized seedlings are over wintered directly in the open growing area.
Variable; depends on out planting date.
Herrera, Mike; Takara, Janet. 2006. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Verbena lasiostachys Link plants Deepot 40 (40 cubic inches); Catalina Island Conservancy Avalon, California. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/25). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
