Carex (phaeocephala)

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:	Cyperaceae
Family Common Name:	Sedge family
Scientific Name:	Carex phaeocephala Piper
Common Name:	Dunhead sedge
Species Code:	CARPHA
Ecotype:	Subalpine meadows, Sperry Chalet, 2200m elev.
General Distribution:	C. phaeocephala is a western North American species. It occurs near or above treeline in rocky soils, talus and scree slides and moraines.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	172 ml conetainers
Time To Grow:	9 Months
Target Specifications:	Stock Type: Container seedlings<br> Height: 8 to 10 cm<br> Caliper: n/a<br> Root System: Firm plug in 172 ml conetainers.
Propagule Collection:	Collect mature inflorescences when perigynia and scales turn dark brown. Seeds are collected in September. Seeds are stored in paper bags prior to cleaning.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds are cleaned using a thresher and screens. Seed longevity is at least 5 years at 1 to 3 C in sealed containers. Seed dormancy is classified as physiological dormancy. Seeds/Kg:1,141,360/kg % Purity: 100% % Germination: 50 to 80%
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seeds are fall sown in containers and undergo a 5 month outdoor cold, moist stratification.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Outdoor nursery growing facility. Sowing Method: Direct Seeding. Seeds are surface sown for the light requirement. Growing medium used is 70% 6:1:1 milled spaghnum peat, perlite, and vermiculite and 30% coarse sand 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 2 grams of Osmocote and 1.0 gram of Micromax per conetainer. Conetainers are filled and sown in late fall and irrigated thoroughly prior to winter stratification. After germination and establishment, 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:	Seeds germinate in early spring under fluctuating temperatures of 15 to 21 C during the day and 0 to 15 C during the night. Medium is kept moist during germination. Shoot and root development occur rapidly following germination. Seedlings produce 2 to 4 true leaves 4 weeks after germination.
Length of Establishment Phase:	4 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	This high elevation species is adapted to very rapid growth and development. Additional fertilization was not required for plants to reach root-tightness in 15 weeks.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	8 weeks
Hardening Phase:	Plants are fertilized with 10-20-20 liquid NPK at 200 ppm during August and September. Irrigation is gradually reduced in September and October. Plants were given one final irrigation prior to winterization.
Length of Hardening Phase:	4 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Total Time to Harvest: 9 months Harvest Date: July and August Storage Conditions: Overwinter in outdoor nursery under insulating foam cover and snow.
Length of Storage:	5 months
Other Comments:	This species is a frequent colonizer of rocky slopes and soils with little development at high elevations and is highly useful for restoration of impacted high elevation sites with poor soil development. Vegetative Propagation: This species has a densely caespitose root system. Rootstocks are compactly matted. Divisions can be made using a sharp knife to separate root stocks.
References:	Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and Cronquist, Univ. of Washington Press, 7th printing, 1990. Growing Colorado Plants from Seed, A State of the Art, Vol. 2, USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-103, Jan.1981. Glacier Park Native Plant Nursery Propagation Records, unpublished. 1999 Revegetation Monitoring Report, Glacier National Park, Asebrook, J. and Brenneman, B., unpublished.

Citation:

Luna, Tara; Potter, Rachel; Corey, Susan; Evans, Jeff; Wick, Dale. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Carex phaeocephala Piper plants 172 ml conetainers; USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/24). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.