Osmorhiza (occidentalis)

Tara Luna USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana 59936 (406) 888-7835 http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/azpmc

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Family Scientific Name:	APIACEAE
Family Common Name:	Carrot Family
Scientific Name:	Osmorhiza occidentalis (Nutt. ex T. & G.) Torrey
Common Name:	Western sweet-cicely
Species Code:	OSMOCC
Ecotype:	Aspen forest understory, 1500 m
General Distribution:	O. occidentalis occurs from lowlands to mid montane elevations; from northwest Washington to southwest Alberta, south to California and Colorado. It is a common understory species in mesic aspen forests.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	160 ml conetainers
Time To Grow:	8 Months
Target Specifications:	Height: 7 cm, 4 to 6 true leaves<br> Caliper: n/a<br> Root System: firm plug in conetainer.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are hand collected in late August when seeds turn dark brown and are easily hand stripped from the inflorescence. Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in drying shed prior to cleaning. Collection Locality: Firebrand Pass Trail, Glacier National Park, MT.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds are hand cleaned at the nursery. Seed longevity is up to 5 years in sealed containers at 1 C. Seed dormancy is classified as non deep complex morphological-physiological dormancy. Seeds per kilogram: 57,000/kg. % Purity: 100% % Germination: 50%
Pre-Planting Treatments:	A minimum of 140 day cold, moist stratification is recommended for germination. Germination occurs under cooler temperatures of 13C to 15C during the day for 15 hours and 3C to 6C during the night for 9 hours. Low temperatures during germination are necessary to make food reserves in the endosperm available to the growing embryo. Low temperatures will break both the morphological and physiological dormancy. Germination occurs immediately after snow melt under natural conditions. Germination is reported to be higher in the precence of light for this genus. Seeds should be surface sown or only covered with a thin layer of perlite. Conetainers are filled and sown in late fall and irrigated thoroughly prior to winter stratification.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Outdoor nursery growing facility. Sowing Method: Direct Seeding. Growing medium used is milled sphagnum 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 conetainer.
Establishment Phase:	Medium is kept slightly moist during germination. Germination temperatures range from 5 to 10 C. Initial germination appeared uniform and complete after 4 weeks.
Length of Establishment Phase:	6 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Root and shoot development occurs rapidly following germination. 2 to 4 true leaves were evident 6 weeks after germination. Plants were fertilized with 20-20-20 liquid NPK fertilizer at 100 ppm during the growing season. Plants attained root tightness 4 months following germination.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	16 to 20 weeks
Hardening Phase:	Irrigation is gradually reduced in September and October. Plants are leached with clear water and fertilized with 10-20-20 liquid NPK fertilizer at 200 ppm once before winterization.
Length of Hardening Phase:	8 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Total Time To Harvest: 8 months Harvest Date: September Storage Conditions: Overwinter in outdoor nursery under insulating foam cover and snow.
Length of Storage:	5 months
Other Comments:	O. occidentalis is an important spring food source for black and grizzly bears.
References:	Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and Cronquist, 7th edition, University of Washington Press, 1973. Seeding Rate Statistics for Native and Introduced Species, Hassell, Wendel, U.S.D.I. and U.S.D.A., April 1996. Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination, Baskin and Baskin, Academic Press, 1998. Seed Germination Theory and Practice, Deno, Norman, Penn State University, 1993. Glacier National Park Native Plant Nursery Propagation Records, unpublished.

Citation:

Luna, Tara; Wick, Dale; Hosokawa, Joy. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Osmorhiza occidentalis (Nutt. ex T. & G.) Torrey plants 160 ml conetainers; USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/02). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.