Eriogonum (umbellatum)

Ann DeBolt and Hilary Parkinson USDA FS - Rocky Mountain Research Station 316 E. Myrtle Boise, Idaho 83702 208-373-4366 208-373-4391 (fax) adebolt@fs.fed.us www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise

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Family Scientific Name:	Polygonaceae
Scientific Name:	Eriogonum umbellatum Torr.
Common Name:	Sulfur buckwheat, Sulfur-flower buckwheat
Ecotype:	Wyoming sagebrush site, 1380 m, Ada County, ID
General Distribution:	East of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada Mountains from southern British Columbia to California, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Arizona; sagebrush deserts to alpine rocky ridges.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Time To Grow:	0
Propagule Collection:	Flowers yellow, appearing from May to August. Phenology varies based on elevation, aspect and seasonal weather patterns. Seeds (achenes) mature uniformly in approximately 6 to 8 weeks, when the perianth is paper-dry (in some cases it turns a rust color) and the hard, filled seeds dehisce readily. It is important to check for mature filled fruits to avoid premature collecting. We selected an inflorescence (an umbel) and examined individual seed for fullness and relative hardness. Seed is collected by clipping the inflorescences or hand stripping into containers. After collection, seed was dried on a drying rack and then placed in a standard freezer for 48 hours to remove insect pests prior to cleaning. Seed was stored in a brown glass jar at room temperature for 18 months prior to this study.
Propagule Processing:	Inflorescence is ground on a rubbing board and larger debris is removed by hand. Remaining material is then placed in a 4.7 mm sieve (No. 4 USA STS), followed by a 1 mm sieve (No. 18 USA STS) to remove smaller particles. Material is then passed four times through a seed blower on a setting of "30", followed by a final pass over a 2.3 mm sieve (No. 8 USA STS). There are approximately 120,000-200,000 seeds per pound.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seeds were placed in clear plastic germination boxes on two layers of moistened blotter paper in a germination chamber set at a constant 22§C 12 hrs light/12 hrs dark regime. No pretreatments were applied.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Eighty-six percent of the seeds germinated. Germination began within 4 days and continued sporadically for the next 60 days. Seventy percent germinated within 48 days. True leaves began to develop in 16 days. Germinants were sown 1 cm deep in styrofoam conetainers filled with a 50% peat and 50% vermiculite mix. Plants were watered from an automatic overhead irrigation system that turns on when soil saturation levels fall below 80% and turns off when field capacity reaches 100%. Greenhouse temperature was set at a constant 27§C. Small amounts of fertilizer suitable for seedlings were added periodically.
Establishment Phase:	Seedling survival under greenhouse conditions was 52%. Reducing humidity, temperature and water would possibly increase survival in the greenhouse environment. Adding a thin layer of sand or gravel as mulch can reduce damping off which caused the majority of seedling mortalities.
Active Growth Phase:	Seedlings were planted near Boise, ID (670 m, 300 mm annual precipitation, sandy soil). They were hand watered every 2-3 days during the summer, and exhibited good growth and survival their first growing season.
Other Comments:	Partial funding for this research was provided by the USDI Bureau of Land Management, Great Basin Restoration Initiative.
References:	Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA. 730 p. USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Citation:

Parkinson, Hilary; DeBolt, Ann. 2005. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Eriogonum umbellatum Torr. plants USDA FS - Rocky Mountain Research Station Boise, Idaho. 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.