Ceanothus (arboreus)

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:	Rhamnaceae
Family Common Name:	Buckthorn Family
Scientific Name:	Ceanothus arboreus Greene
Common Name:	Felt Leaf Ceanothus
Species Code:	CEAARB
Ecotype:	Catalina Island, California
General Distribution:	Felt Leaf Ceanothus is found throughout southern California and the Channel islands. On Catalina Island, it inhabits wooden canyon bottos and slopes.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	Deepot 40
Time To Grow:	9 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 have collected seeds from May to July. The fruit is a dry, three lobed capsule. Mature seeds are dark red-brown, hard, smooth and glossy. Seeds are rapidly dispersed by force when capsules open.
Propagule Processing:	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 1.50 grams per 100 seeds.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Inferred seed dormancy for Ceanothus is physical dormancy. We have used a 5 minute 1 to 5%bleach solution to surface sterilize seed coats prior to testing or sowing. We have tried several treatments to maximize germination rates: 20 to 30 hour hot water scarifcation, followed by 4 to 8 weeks of cold, moist stratification at 40 F. Highest rates of germination were obtained by a 20 to 25 hour hot water soak followed by 6.5 to 8 weeks of cold moist stratifcation (72 to 77%). Combined germination percentages for all treatments have ranged from 36 to 77%.
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 area. All propagation environments are utilized at different stagesof 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 early fall late winter and early spring months in a shadehouse were they remain for several weeks. Seeds are directly sown into deepots (40 cubic inches) or #1 Treepots (173 cubic inches) 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. Seeded containers are watered with an overhead emitter system as needed. Seeds germinate 2 to 4 weeks after sowing.
Length of Establishment Phase:	2 to 4 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Following establishment, seedlings are moved to another shadehouse with more temperature variance where they remain for several weeks. We shift deepots into #1 treepots (173 cubic inches)5 to 6 months after germination. We top prune as needed to encourage branching.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	5 to 8 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 area.
Length of Storage:	Variable; depends on out planting date.

Citation:

Serrill, Doug; Herrera, Mike; Takara, Janet. 2006. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Ceanothus arboreus Greene plants Deepot 40; Catalina Island Conservancy Avalon, California. 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.