Potentilla (gracilis)

Dave Skinner PMC Farm Manager USDA NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center Room 211A Hulbert Hall WSU Pullman, Washington 99164-6211 509-335-9689 509-335-2940 (fax) abbie@wsu.edu http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/wapmc

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Family Scientific Name:	Rosaceae
Family Common Name:	Rose
Scientific Name:	Potentilla gracilis Dougl. ex Hook
Common Name:	Slender cinquefoil
Species Code:	POGR9
Ecotype:	Paradise Creek drainage near Pullman, WA
General Distribution:	Native to mesic grasslands, meadows, and open forests of western North America from Alaska south to California and east to New Mexico and Saskatchewan. In eastern Washington it is usually found in mesic grassland sites and into forested areas. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 20-80 inches (USDA, NRCS 2008). Wetland indicator status is FAC (US Fish and Wildlife Service 1988).
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Time To Grow:	4 Months
Target Specifications:	Tight root plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Fruit is an achene. Seed is collected in August when the inflorescence is dry and the seeds are brown in color. Harvested seed is stored in paper bags at room temperature until cleaned. Seed from wild plants can be collected by shaking into an envelope. Plants in seed increase plantings can be cut and dried under cover on tarps or in bags. Wild plants should never be collected whole.
Propagule Processing:	Small amounts are rubbed to free the seed, then cleaned with an air column separator. Larger amounts are threshed with a hammermill, then cleaned with air screen equipment. Clean seed is stored in controlled conditions at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 40% relative humidity. We determined 1,711,698 seeds/lb for this ecotype (USDA, NRCS Pullman Plant Materials Center 2005).
Pre-Planting Treatments:	A western Washington ecotype germinated at 20.7% after 6 weeks cold moist stratification followed by warm germination temperatures (Drake & Ewing undated). Unpublished data from trials conducted at the Pullman Plant Materials Center comparing untreated seed with seed treated by cold moist stratification for 30 days resulted in no germination for untreated seed while stratified seed germinated at 81%.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	In late November or early December seed is sown in 10 cu. in. Ray Leach Super cell conetainers filled with Sunshine #4 and covered lightly. A thin layer of pea gravel is applied to prevent seeds from floating. Conetainers are watered deeply and placed outside. Conetainers are moved to the greenhouse in January. Alternately, seed can be moist stratified in a refrigerator for 30 days before sowing in the greenhouse
Establishment Phase:	Containers are moved to the greenhouse in late January. Germination usually begins in 6 days and is complete in 15 days.
Length of Establishment Phase:	2 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Plants are watered deeply every other day and fertilized once per week with a complete, water soluble fertilizer containing micro-nutrients
Length of Active Growth Phase:	3 months
Hardening Phase:	Plants are moved to the cold frame in late March or early April, depending on weather conditions. They are watered every other day if the weather is cool, and every day during hot, dry spells.
Length of Hardening Phase:	2-4 weeks
Other Comments:	P. gracilis is a highly variable species with a number of intraspecific taxa. No insect or disease problems have been noted.
References:	Craighead, John J., Frank C. Craighead, and Ray J. Davis. 1963. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston, MA. 277 pp. Drake, Deanne, and Kern Ewing. undated. Germination Requirements of 32 Native Washington Prairie Species. Center for Urban Horticulture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Available online at http://www.southsoundprairies.org/documents/completedgerminationdoc.pdf Accessed 2/8/08. Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. 1973. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Seattle, WA. 730 pp. Jolley, Russ. 1988. Wildflowers of the Columbia Gorge. Oregon Historical Society Press. Portland, OR. 332pp. Larrison, Earl J., Grace W. Patrick, William H. Baker, and James A. Yaich. 1974. Washington Wildflowers. The Seattle Audubon Society. Seattle, WA. 376 pp. Link, Ellen (ed.). 1993. Native Plant Propagation Techniques for National Parks Interim Guide. USDA SCS Rose Lake Plant Materials Center and USDI National Park Service. East Lansing, Michigan. 240 pp. Lyons, C.P. 1997. Wildflowers of Washington. Lone Pine Publishing, Renton, WA. 192 pp. Mohlenbrock, Robert H. Undated. Western Wetland Flora: A Field Office Guide to Wetland Species. USDA, NRCS Western Region. Sacramento, CA. Parish, Roberta, Ray Coupe, and Dennis Lloyd (eds.). 1996. Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing, Vancouver, BC, Canada. 463 pp. Patterson, Patricia A, Kenneth E. Neiman, and Jonalea R. Tonn. 1985. Field Guide to Forest Plants of Northern Idaho. General Technical Report INT-180. USDA Forest Service Intermountain Research Station. Ogden, Utah. 246 pp. Piper, C.V., and R.K. Beattie. 1914. The Flora of Southeastern Washington and Adjacent Idaho. Lancaster, PA. Press of the New Era Printing Company. 296 pp. Rickett, Harold W. 1973. Wildflowers of the United States: The Central Mountains and Plains. Vol. 6. (3 parts). McGraw Hill, New York. St. John, Harold. 1963. Flora of Southeastern Washington and of Adjacent Idaho. 3rd edition. Outdoor Pictures. Escondido, CA. 583 pp. Taylor, Ronald J. 1992. Sagebrush Country. Mountain Press Publishing Co. Missoula, MT. 211 pp. USDA ARS National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: http://www.ars-grin.gov2/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?448068 (8 February 2008). USDA, NRCS, Pullman Plant Materials Center. 2005. Seed Weights of Some Palouse Native Species. Pullman Plant Materials Center, Pullman, Washington. Online at http://www.wsu.edu/~pmc_nrcs/Docs/Seed_Weights_Palouse_Native_Species.pdf Accessed 2/8/08. USDA, NRCS. 2008. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 8 February 2008). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA. US Fish and Wildlife Service. 1988. National list of vascular plant species that occur in wetlands. US Fish & Wildlife Service Biological Report 88 (24). Young, James A. and Cheryl G. Young. 1986. Collecting, Processing and Germinating Seeds of Wildland Plants. Timber Press. Portland, OR. 236 pp.

Citation:

Skinner, David M,. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Potentilla gracilis Dougl. ex Hook plants USDA NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center Pullman, Washington. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/02/24). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.