Penstemon (deustus)

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:	Scrophulariaceae
Family Common Name:	Figwort
Scientific Name:	Penstemon deustus Dougl. ex Lindl.
Common Name:	Hotrock, Lava, or Scorched penstemon
Species Code:	PEDE4
Ecotype:	North Fork Palouse River near Colfax, WA
General Distribution:	Dry, open and often rocky areas of eastern Washington east to Montana and south to California where mean annual preciptation ranges from 10 to 18 inches
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Time To Grow:	0
Target Specifications:	Tight root plug in container.
Propagule Collection:	Seeds are collected when the capsules begin to split in late August. Capsules can be collected individually or the entire stalk cut. Seed is brown in color and small. Seed is stored in paper bags or envelopes at room temperature until cleaned. 400,000 seeds/lb (PLANTS Database)
Propagule Processing:	Capsules are crushed by hand to release the seed. Coarse material is removed with a hand screen. Seed is cleaned with an air column separator. Larger amounts can be threshed with a hammermill and cleaned with air screen equipment. Clean seed is stored in controlled conditions at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 40% relative humidity.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	90 days cool, moist stratification resulted in 95% germination. No seed germinated without pretreatment when covered and only 8% germinated when planted uncovered in the greenhouse without stratification. 18% germinated after 45 days cool, moist stratification. Some seed germinated after a second winter if subjected to a stratification period of less than 90 days during the initial treatment.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	In October 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 at 35-40 degrees F for 90 days before sowing in the greenhouse.
Establishment Phase:	Containers are moved to the greenhouse in early January. Germination usually begins in 6 days and is complete in 10-12 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 weeks
Other Comments:	No insect or disease problems have been noted.
References:	Hitchcock and Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. 1973. St. John, Harold. Flora of Southeastern Washington and of Adjacent Idaho. 3rd edition. Outdoor Pictures. 1963. USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA. Young and Young. Collecting, Processing and Germinating Seeds of Wildland Plants. Timber Press. 1986.

Citation:

Skinner, David M,. 2004. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Penstemon deustus Dougl. ex Lindl. plants USDA NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center Pullman, Washington. 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.