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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

Juncus (articulatus)

Rae Watson
Forestry Technician
USDA FS - J Herbert Stone Nursery
2606 Old Stage Rd.
Central Point, Oregon 97537
541.858.6131
541.858.6110 (fax)
rewatson@fs.fed.us
gillyflowernursery.com
Family Scientific Name: Juncaceae
Family Common Name: Rush
Scientific Name: Juncus articulatus
Common Name: Jointed rush
Species Code: JUNART
Propagation Goal: plants
Propagation Method: seed
ProductType: Container (plug)
Stock Type: Root Trainer 10 (160 cubic centimeters - 10 cubic inch)
Time To Grow: 3 Months
Target Specifications: Height 20 to 25cm (8 - 10 in). Caliper is not applicable to rushes. Root system must fill container- because of the propagation environment, many roots came out of the bottom of the plug. The Root Trainer 10 opens up and allows easy extraction of the root system
Propagule Collection: Field collected from marshes around Parsnip Lake, 22km (14 miles) southwest of Ashland Oregon at 1200m (4000ft) in the Cascade Mountains by David Steinfeld, July 16, 1998. To collect the seed, the stems of the inflorescence were grasped in a handful and bent into a pan that has wide sides. Several sharp slaps of the inflorescence into the pan was sufficient to dislodge seed. The seed appears as a fine red dust. When enough seed is collected, a light breath across the seed will separate the impurities from the seed.
Propagule Processing: 44,000,000 seeds/kg (97,000,000 seeds/lb) (Hurd and Shaw 1993. Seed was stored in closed-lid jar and placed in a refrigerator at 2 degrees C (35 degrees F).
Pre-Planting Treatments: No seed treatments. Did not chill.
Growing Area Preparation/
Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:		 Seed was placed in a salt shaker dry and sprinkled over the containers. That rate of spread was similar to a light salting of food. The seed was not covered with grit. Covering with grit will bury the tiny seed and reduce emergence rates.
Establishment Phase: Emergence occurs within 10 days of sowing. Very controlled greenhouse environment for establishment phase. Daily temperatures are kept between 32 to 35C (90 to 95F) and nighttime temperatures 21C (70F). Lights are on all night. Foggers come on when humidity drops below 90% andirrigation by small set sprinklers occurs every hour. After establishment, seedlings are moved out of the greenhouse and placed in cattle troughs and filled with water. Growing period is from June to September. The climate in the Rogue Valley at during this period is very dry and clear. Average daily high in the summer averages 30C (86F) with occasional highs of over 40C (105F). Summer humidity is usually below 30%.
Length of Establishment Phase: 1 month
Active Growth Phase: After the plants are moved into the cattle troughs, the troughs are filled with water to a level that is approximately one inch lower than the surface of the media. At this time, fertilizer is added to the water by mixing a Excel 21-5-20 into solution and pouring into the tank. We used enough fertilizer to bring the tank up to 100 ppm of nitrogen. We calculated the ppm of nitrogen using the filled volume of water. The trough is filled each after each time the water has drawn down to the bottom of the trough. This occurs three to five times during the growing season and is temperature dependent.
Length of Active Growth Phase: 2 months
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: Seedlings were ready by late September, however we did not have enough planters to plant the site so have held them over in the cattle troughs.
Length of Storage: Direct outplant
References: Hurd HG, Goodrich S, Shaw NL. 1994. Field Guide to Intermountain Rushes. General Technical Report INT-306. USDA Forest Service Intermountain Research Station.
Hurd HG, Shaw NL. 1993 Influence of dry storage on seed viability and germination of eight Intermountain rushes. In: Tellman B, Cortner HJ, Wallace MG, Debano, LF, Hamre RH, technical coordinators. Riparian management: common threads and shared interests, a western regional conference on river management strategies; 993 Feb 4-6; Albuquesrque, New Mexico. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report RM-226. p220.

Citation:

Steinfeld, David E. 2002. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Juncus articulatus plants Root Trainer 10 (160 cubic centimeters - 10 cubic inch); USDA FS - J Herbert Stone Nursery Central Point, Oregon. 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.