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The Forest Service National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources (RNGR) is a leading source of technical information for nurseries and land managers regarding production and planting of trees and other native plants for reforestation, restoration, and conservation.

 
NPN Protocol Details Image

Coreopsis (lanceolata)

John M. Englert
USDA NRCS - Norman A. Berg National Plant Materials Center
Bldg. 509, BARC - East, E. Beaver Dam Road
Beltsville, Maryland 20705
(301) 504-8175
(301) 504-8741 (fax)
john.englert@wdc.usda.gov
http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/mdpmc/
Family Scientific Name: Asteraceae
Family Common Name: Aster Family
Scientific Name: Coreopsis lanceolata
Common Name: Lance-leaf coreopsis
Species Code: CORLAN
Ecotype: Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
General Distribution: Dry sandy soils from Michigan and Lake Superior to Florida and New Mexico.
Propagation Goal: plants
Propagation Method: seed
ProductType: Plug + (container-field grown hybrids)
Time To Grow: 0
Target Specifications: Stock Type: Container plug. Height: About 4-6" after cutbacks. Root System: Full, firm plug.
Propagule Collection: Collected at Cumberland Gap National Park, Kentucky Portal by National Plant Materials Center staff in 10/90.
Propagule Processing: Seed Processing: Seed heads were harvested from The National Plant Materials Center seed production block in July with a combine. Previously shattered seed was swept up off of the weed mat and added to the lot. The seed was cleaned by running it first through a large clipper, using screen sizes 7 and 12, with air set on high-medium. It was then run through a debearder to break up remaining leaves and stems and finally processed again through the large clipper using the same screen sizes.
Seeds/Kg: Approximately 1,000,000.
Germination: 1999 seed tested at 71% and produced 131 plugs per gram in fall, 2000. 1996 seed produced 63 and 51 plugs per gram of seed in 1998 and 1999 respectively.
Purity: 92% (1999).
Pre-Planting Treatments: Seed Treatments: Have tried stratifying seeded trays for 3 weeks with no appreciable change in % germination.
Growing Area Preparation/
Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:		 Propagation Environment: Greenhouse with alternating day/night temperatures.


Seed Propagation Method: Hand sown.

Container Type and Volume: 406 cell germination plug trays and Ropak multipots (67 cell).

Growing Media: Sunshine #1 potting mix plus 180 day 18-6-8 Nutricote SR with micronutrients added at 20 oz. per 3.8 cu. ft. bale of mix (0.15 lb./cu. ft.).
Establishment Phase: Sowing Date: January for spring outplanting; July for fall. In the future at the National Plant Materials Center, plugs for fall planting will be started in mid-June.

% Emergence and Date: Overall germination was estimated at 19% of seeds sown. 50% of those had germinated in 11 days, the balance in 28 days.

Sowing/Planting Technique: Seed was hand sown at approximately 3-6 seeds per cell directly into multipots filled with the Sunshine mix. Seeds were lightly covered with germination mix, watered,covered with clear plastic, and put on a greenhouse bench. Plastic was removed after about 10 days. About 70% of the multipot cells germinated. A 406 germination tray was started at the same time, and empty multipot cells were plugged with seedlings from this tray.

Establishment Phase: No special needs.
Active Growth Phase: Rapid Growth Phase: It appears that maturation of the root mass may be slowed by prolonged cloudy weather in summer. Plugs were fertilized as needed with Technigro 16-17-17 at low rates (100 ppm). Plugs were cut back 2-3 times to encourage development of uniform foliage and full root mass. Cutbacks also controlled aphids and other greenhouse pests.
Hardening Phase: Hardening Phase: 2-3 weeks prior to outplanting, greenhouse temperatures are reduced or plugs are moved outdoors and fertilization is stopped.
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: Total Time to Harvest: 14 weeks from germination to finished plug in spring, 1999; 17 weeks in fall, 2000. (Slower maturation may have resulted from lowered solar radiation, as summer 2000 was unseasonably cool and cloudy.)

Harvest Date: Park outplanting is done in spring. At National Plant Materials Center fields are plugged in the fall (October). Seed is harvested from National Plant Materials Center seed production beds in July.

Storage Conditions: Overwintering plugs in cool storage will be attempted this year (December - April).

Seed storage: Seed is stored in seed bag in cooler at 40§F and 35% relative humidity.

Seed dormancy: None indicated.
Other Comments: This year at National Plant Materials Center we noticed die-back in spring-planted plugs after their first season of bloom. This will require further observation to determine if time of planting (spring or fall) is the cause. Coreopsis will spread from the original clump which often dies back in the center. After senescence in the fall, stems are brittle and if handled roughly may sever the crown. Best to cut back dead foliage with pruners. Plant may not be long-lived.
References: Gleason, H. and A. Cronquist. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, 2nd edition. 1991. New York Botanical Garden. Pg. 538.

Citation:

Davis, Kathy M.; Kujawski, Jennifer. 2001. Propagation protocol for production of Plug + (container-field grown hybrids) Coreopsis lanceolata plants USDA NRCS - Norman A. Berg National Plant Materials Center Beltsville, Maryland. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/01). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.