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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

Chionanthus (pygmaeus)

David B. Geiger
David Bgeiger
9 Telegraph Hill
Provincetown, Massachusetts 02657
508.240.4507
davidbgeiger@gmail.com
http://www.davidbgeiger.com

Family Scientific Name: Oleaceae
Family Common Name: Olive
Scientific Name: Chionanthus pygmaeus Small
Common Name: Pygmy Fringe Tree
General Distribution: Florida
Known Invasiveness: non-invasive, endangered
Propagation Goal: plants
Propagation Method: seed
ProductType: Container (plug)
Time To Grow: Weeks
Propagule Collection: 2012 - ripe seed collected - fruits at the raisin stage, dark brown/black and shriveled.
Propagule Processing: remove flesh of fruit, carefully crack and remove endocarp
Pre-Planting Treatments: immediately plant in damp well drained media in warm sunny location
Establishment Phase: after 1 month when taproots have all formed, germinated seed is stratified in refrigerator for 90 days
Length of Establishment Phase: 90 days
Active Growth Phase: after stratification phase, plant seeds with taproots, 1 per plug, into plug trays filled with well drained media. Keep moist, not wet and in high light until shoots form (approximately 60 days)
Other Comments: This protocol gave almost 80 percent germination. Other protocols were attempted, hot water soaks, cold stratification immediately after removing endocarp, sowing whole seed. germination ranged from 0 percent (cold stratification and whole seed), to 50 percent (hot water soak)

Asan addendum - in 2013 - a set of fruits picked while still in the firm "green olive" stage to just starting to turn brown was tested. The same protocol that gave the most successful results (listed below) was utilized. Germination and formation of primary taproot was reduced to only 8.5 percent.
References: Cheryl Peterson, Bok Tower

Citation:

Geiger, David Brian. 2013. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Chionanthus pygmaeus Small plants David Bgeiger Provincetown, Massachusetts. 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.