Penstemon (ellipticus)

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 ellipticus Coult. & Fisch
Common Name:	Elliptic-leaved penstemon
Species Code:	PENELL
Ecotype:	Talus and scree slope, Siyeh Bend, 1900m elev.
General Distribution:	P. ellipticus is a northern Rocky Mountain species; occurring in subalpine to alpine zones in cliffs, talus and scree. It is found in southern B.C. and Alberta, south to Montana and Idaho.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	160 ml conetainers
Time To Grow:	9 Months
Target Specifications:	Stock Type: Container seedling<br> Height: 7 cm, 6 to 10 true leaves<br> Caliper: n/a<br> Root System: Firm plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are hand collected in late August and early September when capsules turn brown and begin to dehisce. Seeds are brown at maturity. Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in a well ventilated drying shed prior to cleaning. Seed Source: Collected from plants at Siyeh Bend and Logan Pass, Glacier National Park, MT.
Propagule Processing:	Seeds are cleaned with an air blower and screens at NRCS. Seed longevity is at least 5 years at 3 to 5C in sealed containers. Seed dormancy is classified as physiological dormancy. Seeds/Kg: 4,600,000/kg % Purity: 100% % Germination: 75 to 100%
Pre-Planting Treatments:	5 month cold, moist stratification.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Outdoor nursery growing facility. Sowing Method: Direct Seeding. Seeds are covered with medium. Growing medium used is 6:1:1 milled sphagnum 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 conetainer. Conetainers are filled and sown in late fall and irrigated thoroughly prior to winter stratification. Seedlings germinate in spring under fluctuating outdoor temperatures and are grown under full sun exposure. Seedlings are irrigated with Rainbird automatic irrigation system in early morning until containers are thoroughly leached. Average growing season of nursery is from late April after snowmelt until October 15th.
Establishment Phase:	Seedlings emerge in late April under fluctuating temperatures. Germination was very uniform. True leaves appeared 2 weeks after germination. Once established and thinned after emergence, the seedlings produce rapid shoot and root growth.
Length of Establishment Phase:	3 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Plants are fertilized with 20-20-20 liquid NPK at 100 ppm during the active growth phase. Plants were root tight 12 weeks following germination. Plants are ready for outplanting in July. Plants did not produce flowers the first year.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	10 weeks
Hardening Phase:	Plants held over are fertilized with 10-20-20 liquid NPK at 200 ppm in fall, pots are flushed 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: July Storage Conditions: Overwinter in outdoor nursery under insulating foam and snow cover.
Length of Storage:	5 months
Other Comments:	P. ellipticus is a woody, mat-forming species, which propagates easily from cuttings.
References:	Floraof 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. 1999 Revegetation Monitoring Report, Glacier National Park, Asebrook, J. and Brenneman, B., unpublished.

Citation:

Luna, Tara; Evans, Jeff; Wick, Dale; Hosokawa, Joy. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Penstemon ellipticus Coult. & Fisch plants 160 ml conetainers; USDI NPS - Glacier National Park West Glacier, 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.