Collecting Native Plant Propagules

Overview: Starting a Native Plant Propagule Collecting Project

Contents

Learning Objectives

Narrative

What is a native plant? According to the Federal Plant Conservation Alliance,
a native plant is one that occurs naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, and/or habitat without direct or indirect human intervention.
You may hear the phrase "California native plant", but the state of California is a political region, not an ecological region. Plant ecologists have divided North America into 15 plant provinces using factors such as temperature maximum and minimum in summer and winter, various precipitation types, elevation and soil type. A plant native to, say, the Rocky Mountains Floristic Province might be found anywhere from Canada to Mexico. We want to be more microcosmic than that and choose, if possible, plants of a more narrowly-specialized or "local provenance".
Plants of local provenance are those that will be planted close to where that plant or seed originated.
Plants of local provenance will generally be better adapted to that location for a variety of reasons, which may include temperature, percipitation, companion plants, pests, soil, light, fog and so on. So generally speaking, the closer to home the better.
Example: If you were to plant seed from a friend in Oregon because you could not obtain enough from your backyard to fill in where you wanted, you may inadvertently be introducing a different genotype which may adversely effect the genetic makeup of all the surrounding plants. After a few years you may find you have introduced drought intolerance or mold susceptibility and lose the entire local population you worked so hard to save.
So you are now ready to go out back and pick out the most beautiful and lush growing, hardy, most bestest brightest biggest fastest growing early bloomers that you can find and mark them for seed collection, right? No! Remember we want genetic diversity in our own backyard, so choose from the most differing plants you can find; some early seeds, some later, some latest, some on the hill, some from the ditch, some from the shade, some from sunny locations, small flowers, big flowers, bright, dim, beautiful, and ugly as well. I think you get the idea. Why is this important? If, for example, you were to take only early seed, you may eliminate late-blooming genes from the local pool that would allow the population to survive a long winter. So take as broad a sample as possible.
Selection: Key Points
  1. Choose native plants of local provenance and when possible collect seed or cuttings yourself from your own 'backyard' or as close as possible.
  2. Whenever possible do not use cultivars of native plants as they may affect the gene pool.
  3. You should not collect native plant propagules from the biggest and brightest as that approach narrows the hardiness and diversity of the gene pool.
To ensure that you are satisfied with the outcome of your native plant propagation project, it is important for you to understand clearly, before you begin, your own personal and/or professional motivation(s) for using native plants. For larger areas, we strongly recommend that your native plant project be considered as a component of a long-term vegetation management plan, a topic covered in the first module of this curriculum. As discussed in that module, some of the land management goals compatible with using native plants might be:
  1. Aesthetic - adding interest and beauty.
    If your primary interest is having a good looking garden, then some guidelines should be established before you run out and get seeds and plants that are ill-adapted to a garden setting. Small home gardens as well as "back 40's" will share some common considerations and factors, and planning your planting will greatly enhance your results. Some characteristics to consider would be;
    • soil erosion control or lack thereof;
    • access to water - will you have to lug copious amounts of water a long distance to get those plants established?
    • wildlife attraction has both positive and negative aspects - eating your plants before they are established, for example;
    • Human edibility of fruit, herbs, nuts, seeds and leaves;
    • Animal edibility of fruit, herbs, nuts, and seeds - you may not want to plant deer- or bear-attracting plants near your home or vegetable garden, for example;
    • Size as well as shape and color are all important considerations for the garden setting.
  2. Fiscal - saving water, personal time in labor and maintenance, using less added nutrients and fertilizers or in most cases, once established, none at all.
    Once a native garden is established it may become nearly self-sufficient or at least low maintenance.
  3. Nurturing - providing wildlife habitat, food.
    Most native plants for this type of plan should emphasize shelter (even for the lowly bug), nesting sites for animals and birds, and of course food for insect larvae as well as the larger more noticeable critters.
  4. Nurturing - restore the ecosystem.
    The upturn in interest towards native plants and wildflowers has sparked a native movement in landscape design. The choice of local native species to mimic local plant and wildlife communities is a sensible and sustainable solution which contains both aesthetic and scientific reasoning. If your goal is to restore the ecosystem you will generally [although not necessarily] be gardening on a much grander scale with a greater time line than in a home garden setting. Restoring and preserving native landscape is valuable because it helps create and sustain ecosystems and their diverse communities of plants and wildlife.
Planning: Key Points
  1. Native plants once established may become nearly self sufficient.
  2. Plan first. Do not plant without thinking things through.
  3. Protect your hard work from stressful environmental factors.

Exercises

  1. Select a plant species that is local to your area but has a wide distribution. Discuss the characteristics that might be found in a plant of non-local provenance that would make it poorly-adapted to your area. Consider tolerance to temperature extremes, moisture, color, pollinators and so on. Suggestions: for Californians, the California poppy makes a good test case.
  2. Start a journal for your native plant project. For your first entry, make a list of your reasons for wanting to plant natives.
  3. Discuss in class or with neighbors your/their personal experience with local plant pests. Do native plants have the same pest problems as non-natives?

References

 
The content of the page was last modified 2008-05-06