RNGR.net is sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and Southern Regional Extension Forestry and is a colloborative effort between these two agencies.

U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Forest Service Southern Regional Extension Forestry Southern Regional Extension Forestry

Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

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

Ericameria (nauseosa)

Allegra Mount
Seed Lab Manager
Borderlands Restoration
PO Box 1191
Patagonia, Arizona 85624
949-690-2592
borderlands.restoration@gmail.com
www.borderlandsrestoration.org

Family Scientific Name: Asteraceae
Family Common Name: Aster Family
Scientific Name: Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) G.L. Nesom & Baird
Common Name: Rubber Rabbitbrush
Ecotype: Madrean Archipelago
General Distribution: E. nauseosa is found across the western United States and southwestern Canada at elevations up to 8,000ft (Scheinost et al 2010). One of the few desert plants to flower in October, it is an important autumn pollinator plant (Scheinost et al 2010). It is also important browse material for wildlife in winter, although in summer it produces volatile chemicals which make it unpalatable (Scheinost et al 2010). It is a fast-growing plant and provides effective erosion control along roadsides and wash banks (Scheinost et al 2010). All of these wonderful ecological attributes make it a mainstay of the target species list for seed collection and propagation in the Madrean Archipelago.
Propagation Goal: Plants
Propagation Method: Seed
ProductType: Container (plug)
Propagule Collection: Seeds are ready for collecting Oct-Dec. Seeds are easily removed from the plant by gently pulling tufts of the white pappus. This pulls the attached seed out from the seed head. If seeds are green or not easily separated from the plant they are not yet ripe and the site should be documented for future collection.
Propagule Processing: Remove large twigs and debris from the seed. A brush cleaner could likely be used to remove the pappus. However, this species has not been cleaned on-site at the MAPP facility at this time since collections have been sent to the Seeds of Success seed extractory. Tirmenstein (1999) established that seeds of rabbitbrush can be stored for up to 3 years without significant loss in viability, with subsequent declines in germination rates in years 4 (34%) and 5 (14%). Therefore, it is recommended to propagate this species soon after collection.
Establishment Phase: Pretreatment is not necessary for rubber rabbitbrush, and seeds should germinate in 5-20 days (Tirmenstein 1999). Germination rates are highest when seeds are germinated between 20 and 30°C and and can reach 50-80% (Romo and Eddleman 1988). Germination rates vary widely depending on the seed source, although seeds from warmer areas tend to germinate quicker than those from colder regions (Tirmenstein 1999).
References: Romo, J. T., and L. E. Eddleman. "Germination of green and gray rubber rabbitbrush and their establishment on coal mined land." Journal of Range Management (1988): 491-495.

Scheinost, P.L., J. Scianna and D.G. Ogle. “Plant Fact Sheet for Ericameria nauseosa (pallas ex Pursh.) G.L. Nesom & Baird.” USDA NRCS Plant Fact Sheet. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pullman Plant Materials Center, Pullman, WA, 2010.

Tirmenstein, D. “Ericameria nauseosa.” Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory, 1999. Web. http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2017, February 6].

Borderlands Restoration Network (2018). BRN Native Plant Materials Program Database. Unpublished Raw Data.

Citation:

Allen-Cantú, Juniper; Claverie, Francesca; McNelis, Perin; Mount, Allegra. 2018. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) G.L. Nesom & Baird Plants Borderlands Restoration Patagonia, Arizona. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/03). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.