Prunus (virginiana)
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Mark E. Majerus USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center 99 South River Road, Rte. 2, Box 1189 Bridger, Montana 59014-9718 (406) 662-3579 (406) 662-3428 (fax) mmajerus@mt.nrcs.usda.gov http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/mtpmc |
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| Family Scientific Name: | Rosaceae | ||
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| Family Common Name: | Rose Family | ||
| Scientific Name: | Prunus virginiana L. | ||
| Common Name: | Common chokecherry | ||
| Species Code: | PRUVIR | ||
| Ecotype: | Glacier National Park ecotypes | ||
| Propagation Goal: | plants | ||
| Propagation Method: | seed | ||
| ProductType: | Container (plug) | ||
| Stock Type: | 40-cubic-inch or larger pots | ||
| Time To Grow: | 0 | ||
| Propagule Processing: | The fruit is somewhat perishable and should be stored in ziplock bags under refrigeration. Fruit is readily processed in a DybvigT macerator. Float off debris by rinsing seeds with water in a bucket. Further cleaning is generally not needed. | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: | Sow fresh seed in 10- to 40-cubic-inch containers for 1-y stock, 40-cubic inch or large for 2-y or older. Sow seeds in a sterile well-drained peat-lite mix to a depth of 0.25 to 0.50 inches. Moisten the seeds and media and leave overnight in a warm location to imbibe water. Move the containers to a 34 to 37øF cooler for a4- to 5-month cold moist chilling. Cold moist stratification of the seed in a sand:peat mix in a ventilated ziplock bag for 4 to 5 months and then sowing works equally well. | ||
| Hardening Phase: | Move containerized seedlings or rooted cuttings started (or held) in the greenhouse that winter to an outdoor hoophouse in late spring/early summer (i.e. "finish" the plants in the hoophouse). The hoophouse is ventilated but not cooled, and the containers are usually exposed to full sunlight for 2 to 4 weeks early in the season. The hoophouse is then covered with a 50% shade cloth until temperatures cool in the fall. Another option is to finish container plants and rooted cuttings in the greenhouse and then move them to the shadehouse in late summer, allowing 30 to 60 days of hardening prior to winter. The shade is usually removed in late summer/early fall and replaced with clear plastic. The plants harden-off gradually in the hoophouse prior to winter. Bridger is characterized by a high number of solar days that keeps the environment inside the hoophouse relatively mild until winter. In the case of premature and severely cold weather, a small propane heater is used at keep temperatures above freezing. | ||
| Length of Hardening Phase: | As a standard practice, we allow a minimum of 30 days of hardening off prior to killing frost, 60 days is preferred. | ||
| Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: | Since nearly all containerized stock is shipped dormant from Bridger in the spring, we overwinter containers in an outdoor hoophouse. The hoophouse is ventilated when temperatures reach 35 to 40øF and heated to maintain a temperature of 5 to 10øF. The containers are placed on 2 inches of pea gravel and arranged in a side-by-side pattern. The stock is watered over the fall and winter as needed. If temperatures in the spring are too warm to assure dormancy, plantmaterial that is designated for dormant spring planting is moved to a walk-in cooler (34 to 37øF, 80+% relative humidity) until shipping. Plants may be shipped with or without containers in heavy waxed boxes by priority ground mail (avoid weekend holdover at post offices). | ||
| Other Comments: | Easy to bareroot and container produce from seeds. | ||
Citation:
Scianna, Joe. 2003. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Prunus virginiana L. plants 40-cubic-inch or larger pots; USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center Bridger, Montana. 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.
