Nassella (cernua)

Michael Herrera Nursery Manager Catalina Island Conservancy PO Box 2739 Avalon, California 90704 (310) 510-2904 (310) 510-3157 (fax) mherrera@catalinaconservancy.org www.catalinaconservancy.org

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Family Scientific Name:	Poaceae
Family Common Name:	Grass Family
Scientific Name:	Nassella cernua (Stebbins & R.M. Love) Barkworth
Common Synonym:	Stipa cernua Stebbins & R.M. Love
Common Name:	Nodding Needlegrass
Species Code:	NASCER
Ecotype:	Catalina Island, California
General Distribution:	Nodding Needlegrass is found throughout southern California. It is rare on Catalina Island. It inhabits dry or eroded clayey or grassy slopes.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	10 cubic inch container
Time To Grow:	4 Months
Target Specifications:	Height: N/A<br> Caliper: N/A<br> Root System: Firm root plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are hand collected when they are fully matured. We usually collet seeds in late July and early August.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds dry in paper bags in a warm, dry room. Seeds are long and slender and are easily broken. We have rolled seeds in a innertube to remove awns.Using a blower tends to break seeds. After seeds have been cleaned, they are stored under refrigeration in air tight glass containers at 40 F and 40% RH. With 8 collections, seeds average 0.22 grams per 100 seeds.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	We have used a 5 to 15 minute Physan fungicide soak or a 3 minute 5% bleach solution to surface sterilize seed coats prior to testing or sowing. Germination percentages have ranged from 19 to 92%.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	The James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery is located on Catalina Island off the coast of southern California. From 1993 to 2004, the average maximum and minimum temperatures have been 75.4 F and 46 F, with an average of 361 frost free days per year and annual rainfall of 14 inches. The facility is comprised of shade houses, mist propagation house, and an outdoor growing compound. All propagation environments are utilized at different stages of seedling growth to provide for the variance in temperature and shading requirements needed during the growing season. We irrigate all containers with an overhead emitter system in the shadehouses and use a drip system or hand water in the outdoor nursery.
Establishment Phase:	Seeds are germinated during late winter or early fall months in a shadehouse were they remain for several weeks. Seeds are directly sown into containers. Containers are filled with a 1 inch layer of special seed germination mix of 1:1 (v:v) Sunshine Professional Growing Mix and sand on top of 4:1:1 (v:v:v) peat, perlite, and organic compost. We incorporate Osmocote time release fertilizer (9 month release rate) (14 N:14P2O5:14K2O) at the rate of « cup per 0.75 cubic yard of medium. Seeds begin to germinate 1 to 2 weeks after sowing.
Length of Establishment Phase:	1 month
Active Growth Phase:	Seedlings are watered as needed during the active growth phase.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	3 months
Hardening Phase:	Any nursery stock grown under shadehouse conditions are hardened by placing them in full sun exposure for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to outplanting.
Length of Hardening Phase:	2 to 4 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Containerized seedlings are over wintered directly in the open growing compound.
Length of Storage:	Variable; depends on out planting date.

Citation:

Serrill, Doug; Herrera, Mike; Takara, Janet. 2006. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Nassella cernua (Stebbins & R.M. Love) Barkworth plants 10 cubic inch container; Catalina Island Conservancy Avalon, California. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/02/25). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.