Phacelia (lyallii)

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:	Hydrophyllaceae
Family Common Name:	Water leaf family
Scientific Name:	Phacelia lyallii (Gray) Rydb.
Common Name:	Lyall's phacelia
Species Code:	PHALYA
Ecotype:	Talus and scree slide, Oberlin Bend, 2032 elev.
General Distribution:	P. lyalli occurs in subalpine and alpine rocky slopes at high elevations. It is an endemic to western Montana and adjacent southern Alberta.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	160 ml conetainers
Time To Grow:	7 Months
Target Specifications:	Stock Type: Container seedling<br> Height: 6 to 10 true leaves, 4 cm<br> Caliper: n/a<br> Root System: Firm plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are hand collected in late August when capsules turn tan and begin to dehisce. Seeds are black at maturity. Capsules are collected in paper bags and kept in a well ventilated drying shed prior to cleaning.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds are cleaned with a hammermill and passed through a fanning mill at NRCS. Seed longevity: estimated at 5 to 10 years in sealed containers at 3 to 5C and low humidity. Seed dormancy is classified as physiological dormancy. Seeds/Kg: 990,000/kg % Purity:100% % Germination: 50 to 75%
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seeds require a 60 to 100 day cold, moist stratification. Germination percentages are higher under cooler greenhouse temperatures of 21C Day/13C Night. Alternately, seeds can be fall sown outdoors to undergo winter stratfication and germinate to high percentages under cooler, fluctuating spring temperatures.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Greenhouse and outdoor nursery growing facility. Sowing Method: Direct Seeding. Seeds are lightly covered with medium. Growing medium used is 6:1:1 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 172 ml conetainer. Greenhouse temperatures are maintained at 21C during the day and 13C at night. Seedlings are hand watered and remain in greenhouse until mid May. Seedlings are then moved to outdoor nursery for the remainder of the growing season. 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:	Seedlings emerge 8 days after sowing. Germination was non-uniform. Seedlings produce rapid shoot and root development. Once seedlings are established, they must dry down between irrigations. Seedlings must be watered during early morning so they dense rossettes of leaves can dry and must be provided with adequate air movement. This practice prevents crown rot, leaf mold and root diseases.
Length of Establishment Phase:	4 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Plants are fertilized with 20-20-20 NPK liquid fertilizer at 100 ppm. Plants were root tight 16 weeks following germination. Plants did not produce flowers the first year.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	16 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:	5 months
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Total Time to Harvest: 7 months Harvest Date: August Storage Conditions: Overwinter in outdoor nursery under insulating foam and snow cover.
Length of Storage:	5 months
Other Comments:	P. lyallii is a tap rooted perennial species that colonizes talus and scree slides, and cliffs. Plants develop rapidly after outplanting.
References:	Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and Cronquist, Univ. of Washington Press, 7th printing, 1990. Glacier Park Native Plant Nursery Propagation Records, unpublished. Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition, Deno, Norman, publ. 1993. Seeding Rate Statistics for Native and Introduced Species, Hassell, Wendel, National Park Service and National Resources Conservation Service, April 1996.

Citation:

Luna, Tara; Evans, Jeff; Wick, Dale. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Phacelia lyallii (Gray) Rydb. 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.