Penstemon (albertinus)

Tara Luna USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana 59936 (406) 888-7835 http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/azpmc

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Family Scientific Name:	Scrophulariaceae
Family Common Name:	Figwort family
Scientific Name:	Penstemon albertinus Greene
Common Name:	Alberta penstemon
Species Code:	PENALB
Ecotype:	Cliff faces. 1320m elev. Walton, Glacier National Park, Flathead Co., MT.
General Distribution:	P. albertinus occurs from valleys to the subalpine zone in rocky open slopes, open forests and scree slopes. It ranges from southeast B.C. and southwest Alberta to western Montana and central Idaho.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	172 ml conetainers
Time To Grow:	9 Months
Target Specifications:	Stock Type: Container seedling<br> Height: 6 cm, 6 to 10 true leaves<br> Caliper: n/a<br> Root System: Firm plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are collected in mid to late August when capsules turn brown and begin to split open at the top. Seeds are dark brown at maturity. Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in a well ventilated drying shed prior to cleaning.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds are cleaned with screens and air blower at NRCS. Seed longevity is at least 5 years at 3 to 5C in sealed containers. Seed dormancy is classified as physiological dormancy. % Purity: 100% % Germination: 80 to 90%
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seeds are placed into a 150 day cold, moist stratification. Seeds germinate under cool temperatures 13 to 15 C.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Outdoor nursery growing facility or greenhouse. Sowing Method: Direct Seeding. Seeds are lightly covered with medium. Growing medium used is 6:1:1 milled spaghnum peat, perlite, and vermiculite with Osmocote controlled release fertilizer (13N:13P2O5:13K2O; 8 to 9 month release rate at 21C) and Micromax fertilizer (12%S, 0.1%B, 0.5%Cu, 12%Fe, 2.5%Mn, 0.05%Mo, 1%Zn) at the rate of 1 gram of Osmocote and 0.20 gram of Micromax per 172 ml conetainer. Conetainers are filled and sown in late fall and irrigated thoroughly prior to winter stratification.
Establishment Phase:	For seeds that were stratified outdoors, germination began under cool early spring time temperatures. Greenhouse grown seedlings germinated at 13 to 15 C. Germination was very uniform at 13 to 15 C. After seedlings are established, greenhouse temperatures are raised to 21 to 23C during the day and 15C at nght. True leaves appeared 3 weeks after germination. Once established and thinned after emergence, the seedlings produce rapid shoot and root development.
Length of Establishment Phase:	4 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Plants are fertilized with 20-20-20 liquid NPK at 100 ppm. Plants were root tight 9 weeks following germination. Plants did not produce flowers the first year.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	9 weeks
Hardening Phase:	Plants are fertilized with 10-20-20 liquid NPK at 200 ppm in fall, pots are leached with water, and irrigation frequency is gradually reduced in September and October. One final irrigation is applied before covering for the winter.
Length of Hardening Phase:	4 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Total Time To Harvest: 9 months Harvest Date: September and October Storage Conditions: Overwinter in outdoor nursery under insulating foam and snow cover.
Length of Storage:	5 months
Other Comments:	P. albertinus is a frequent colonizer of road shoulders, cliffs, and gravelly soils throughout its range. Good medium drainage is essential during cultivation.
References:	Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and Cronquist, Univ. of Washington Press, 7th printing, 1990. Glacier Park Native Plant Nursery Propagation Records, unpublished. Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition, Deno, Norman, publ. 1993. Seeding Rate Statistics for Native and Introduced Species, Hassell, Wendel, National Park Service and National Resources Conservation Service, April 1996.

Citation:

Luna, Tara; Evans, Jeff; Wick, Dale. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Penstemon albertinus Greene plants 172 ml conetainers; USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/02). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.