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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

Eriogonum (bicolor)

Susan Meyer
Research Ecologist
USDA FS - Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory
735 North 500 east
Provo, Utah 84606
smeyer@sisna.com
www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise

Family Scientific Name: Polygonaceae
Family Common Name: Buckwheat family
Scientific Name: Eriogonum bicolor
Common Name: Pretty Buckwheat
Species Code: ERIBIC
Ecotype: Utah 1450m
General Distribution: E. bicolor is endemic to central Utah and grows in salt desert shrublands.
Propagation Goal: plants
Propagation Method: seed
Time To Grow:
Propagule Collection: E. bicolor flowers in late spring and early summer and seeds ripen in late July.
Propagule Processing: Seeds are cleaned by hand rubbing material through a 2 mm round hole screen. Caff is removed from seed by using a tabletop model blower.
Achenes are stored at 20 to 22C with 30 to 40% relative humidity in paper envelopes until mid October.
Achene mass averages 1.0 mg per 100 achenes.
Pre-Planting Treatments: 6 prechilling treatments were used: 0,2,4,8,12,16 and 24 weeks of moist chilling at 2C in the dark.
Growing Area Preparation/
Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:
Following chilling treatments, seeds were incubated 4 weeks under a daily temperature and photoperiod regime (12hr dark at 10C and 12hr light at 20C)with a cool flourescent light.
Achenes were placed in disposable petri plates on 2 blue germination blotter papers moistened with tap water. Blotter papers were re-moistened as needed.
Establishment Phase: Results and Discussion:
E. bicolor is a cold desert species that appears to be adapted to winter and early spring emergence.
It is largely dormant without prechilling, but germinated quickly in the cold at 7 wks to 50% germination during the chilling treatment and problably would have a relatively short chilling requirement.
References: Chilling Requirements for seed germination of 10 Utah species of perennial wild buckwheat. Meyer SE and Paulsen A. Native Plants Journal, Spring 2000, 1(1):18-24.

Citation:

2001. Propagation protocol for production of Eriogonum bicolor plants USDA FS - Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory Provo, Utah. 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.