Ceanothus (prostratus)

Lee Riley Horticulturist USDA FS - Dorena Genetic Resource Center 34963 Shoreview Road Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424 541-915-7324 541-767-5709 (fax) lee.riley@usda.gov

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Family Scientific Name:	Rhamnaceae
Family Common Name:	Buckthorn
Scientific Name:	Ceanothus prostratus
Common Name:	Prostrate ceanothus
Species Code:	CEPR
Ecotype:	Deschutes National Forest
General Distribution:	Western US, including Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Nevada
Propagation Goal:	Plants
Propagation Method:	Vegetative
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	444 ml (27 in3) container
Time To Grow:	16 months
Target Specifications:	Stock Type: Container seedling Root System: Firm plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Collect in mid-spring. Collect newest (previous year’s) material just as new white rootlets are beginning to form (a 2 to 3 week window depending on weather and elevation). Green cuttings can also be collected in late spring/early summer when new growth has just begun to suberize. (This collection may be more difficult before early summer, dry weather conditions place plants under stress.)
Propagule Processing:	Keep cuttings moist and cold until sticking. Cutting should not be stored for more than 48 hours before processing.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Mid-spring and green cuttings: The base of the stem is re-cut and immediately dipped in 500 ppm IBA. The cutting is then inserted into a pre-dibbled hole in well-drained rooting medium. If possible, 2 to 3 root nubs will provide the best success. Rooting medium used is 30:20:30:20 peat:composted fir bark:perlite:pumice with no fertilizer added.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Rooting chamber. Stecklings are placed in a climate-controlled rooting chamber, maintained at 100% RH with mist; bench temperature maintained at 21 °C; air temperature maintained at 18 °C. When rooting has occurred, cells are moved to the greenhouse to continue culturing. Greenhouse growing facility. Cells are fertilized with Nutricote controlled release fertilizer (18N:6P2O5:8K2O with minors; 180-d release rate at 21C) at the rate of 1.5 gram Nutricote per 262 ml container.
Establishment Phase:	Rooting is very slow, and can take up to 3 months before cells are ready to be moved to a greenhouse facility. Success rate is usually around 50% for this species. Following rooting, plants are fertilized with soluble 12-2-14-6Ca-3Mg at 75 to 100 ppm for 4 weeks.
Length of Establishment Phase:	3 to 4 months
Active Growth Phase:	Plants are slow-growing, requiring 2 full growing seasons to reach target. Soluble fertilizer (20-9-20 NPK, 20-18-18 NPK, or 17-5-24 NPK) at 100 to 150 ppm is applied weekly throughout the growing season.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	18 to 19 weeks
Hardening Phase:	No dry-down is done to induce dormancy. Seedlings are moved to an outdoor growing area in early September.
Length of Hardening Phase:	2 to 3 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Harvest Date: Mid to late October Storage Conditions: Seedlings are usually outplanted in fall. No storage except in outdoor growing area. Plants are well irrigated prior to shipping and shipped in containers.
References:	Dorena Genetic Resource Center Propagation Records, unpublished. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. nd. Ceanothus prostratus Benth. prostrate ceanothus. URL: https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CECU (accessed 16 Oct 2018).

Citation:

Riley, Lee E.. 2018. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Ceanothus prostratus Plants 444 ml (27 in3) container; USDA FS - Dorena Genetic Resource Center Cottage Grove, Oregon. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/10/31). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.