The cool, moist maritime habitats of southeast Alaska have many native species with edible, medicinal, and ornamental value. Native Americans have depended on the local flora for generations as food, shelter, and medicine. Local gardeners are interested in growing native plants for food, as ornamentals, for disturbed site reclamation, and to preserve knowledge about traditional food and medicinal plants. The purpose of this project was to identify common southeast Alaska native plants and demonstrate propagation techniques to promote the use of these plants in southeast Alaska landscapes.

Ten species of native plants were identified for their horticulture value in southeast Alaska, and a literature review was conducted to identify plant propagation protocol for each (Table 1). We set up a dem-onstration garden to propagate and grow each species using resources available for a typical southeast Alaska garden where private lots are a 0.1 hectare or less, soils are poorly developed gravels or organic peats, and gardening supplies are locally limited. Propagation resources included an indoor grow light with timer, soil mixes, rooting hormone, 14-14-14 Osmocote fertilizer for seedlings and 8-32-16 fertilizer for established plants in beds, a quarter acre of land with water, two hot beds, two cold frames and six raised beds with wood frames, irrigation water and hoses, shade covering, mulch and row coverings.

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“ This report is based upon work supported by the University of Alaska and Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement No. 2002-45046-06256, No. 2003-45046-01645, No. 2004-45046-01895. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture,”

Any opinion, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Visit the Cooperative Extension Service Web site at www.uaf.edu/ces.

Known propagation protocols were used to grow ten species of plants native to Alaska. Survival was poor for two species, Empetrum nigrum, and Vaccinium parvifolium. Based on these results we recommend protocols for eight species that are listed in Table 2. We have no recommended protocol for Empetrum nigrum, and Vaccinium parvifolium. Local growers should experiment with the growing media used for the propagation protocols. A well drained media is critical for the success of several species propagated with the basic growing structures described. A hot bed is essential for the success of most plant species we propagated.

Trial and error is a common feature for successful propagation of the native plants using the local resources available for gardeners. Successful propagation presents many challenges because simple horticulture supplies and facilities are not available. Space limits the amount of plant materials that can be collected, stored and propagated at any one time. The simple growing facilities only partially modify local weather conditions which limits propagation success. Extremely variable weather during the growing season (cool, wet periods alternating with sunny, dry conditions) presents challenging growing conditions. The use of hot beds, cold frames and row covers assists in providing improved growing conditions. But these simple structures do not match the growing conditions of a greenhouse with mist beds. Deer and fungal diseases were the greatest pest.

We recommend that southeast Alaska gardeners starting native plant propagation begin with the techniques described for Cornus canadensis (seed), Linnaea borealis (runners), and Fritillaria camtchatcensis (bulblets) because of the likelihood of success. Based upon this demonstration project, local gardeners interested in propagating native plants are recommended to have a minimum of equipment: ready access to native plant parent stock, an indoor light table in a well ventilated room, rooting hormone, a variety of soil amendments (peat moss, compost, sand, perlite, vermiculite), a hot bed, a cold frame, raised beds with a mix of sand, peat moss, and compost, and a means to irrigate the plants. Gardeners should anticipate pest problems with fungus, deer and ravens. More consistent results required for commercial production probably will require investment in a greenhouse and mist system.

Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry) 2004 Plant Material: Seed Collection Date/ Location: 2003/Experiment station Seed treatment: soak 24 hours Stratification media: 3:1 peat/vermiculite Stratification: warm moist 40 days/cold moist 140 daysViability Test: 32 seeds on paper towel for 2 weeks 23/32 germinated

= 72%Media: Sunshine #1 Unit: 5.08 cm plugs, 32 plugs/traySowing method: One tray was sown with 3 seeds/plug and no strati-

fication media and had a peat top dressing depth of 12.7 mm, the other was sown with 0.246 metric tsp. of stratified media per plug and 6.35 mm peat top dressing. Trays covered with plastic until germination occurred. After 8 weeks the tray with 6.35 mm top dressing was thinned and transplanted. The tray with 12.7 mm dressing did not germinate well (0-1 seeds/plug).

Maintenance: Hotbed 8 weeks, then shaded cold frame; overwintered in raised bed

Survival: 95 plants Location: Planted Spring 05 in demonstration bed with peat/sand/

compost Note: Forming rhizomes Fall 2005

Rubus chamaemorus (Cloudberry) 2005 Plant Material: Seed Collection Date/ Location: Fall 2004 Seed treatment: soak 1% bleach solution 7 days Stratification media: 3:1 peat/sandStratification: warm moist 90 days/cold moist 90 days Sown: 4/24/05Media: 2:1 peat: sand Unit: 1 tray of 36 with 5.08 cm. square cellsSowing method: 0.985 metric tsp of stratified seed/media mix was spread

onto seedling media with no top dressing. Flat was covered with plastic film until seeds broke media surface

Maintenance: After 2 weeks in hotbed seedlings were thinned by 50%. Transplanted after 6 weeks when true leaves had formed.

Survival/Location: 2 trays (72 plants) were planted in raised bed Fall 05. 2 trays will be overwintered in cold frame.

Results

Tabl

e 1.

Ta

ble

2.

Methods

Conclusions & Recommendations

Plant Propagation Protocol for Gardenersof Ten Species Native to Southeast Alaska

Scientific Name Common Name Family Plant Type Uses 1 Propagation Technique

Cornus canadensis Bunchberry Dogwood perennial herb O, b, m seed, rhizomes

Cornus stolonifera Red-Osier Dogwood Dogwood deciduous shrub O, m, b softwood, seed

Empetrum nigrum Crowberry Crowberry evergreen shrub M, e, b, o softwood, seed

Fritillaria camtchatcensis Indianrice, Chocolate Lily Lily perennial bulb O / E bulblets, seed

Linnaea borealis Twinflower Honeysuckle evergreen shrub O runners, seed

Oplopanax horridum Devil’s Club Ginseng deciduous shrub M, b, o hardwood, seed

Rubus chamaemorus Cloudberry Rose Perennial herb E, m, o seed, rhizomes

Vaccinium ovalifolium Oval-Leafed Blueberry Heath deciduous shrub E, b, o softwood, seed

Vaccinium parvifolium Red Huckleberry Heath deciduous shrub E, o, b stem cuttings, seed

Viburnum edule Highbush-Cranberry Honeysuckle deciduous shrub E, m, o, b softwood, seed

1 o=ornamental, e=edible, m=medicinal, b=wildlife browse; the first listed use is the predominant use

Taxonomy, Uses and Propagation of Selected Native Plant Species

Oplopanax horridum (Devil’s Club) 2005Plant Material: 15.24 cm cuttings taken at bud break on 4/25/05 in Indian River

Road Number: 29. Note: 9 cuttings were tip cuttings and were stuck in one side of flatRooting unit: plastic bin 53.34 cm x 42.545 cm x 15.24 cm deep with drainage

holes Rooting Hormone: Hormodin 2 IBA (.3% indole-3-butyric acid) powder Media: 2:1 peat: sand Maintenance: Cuttings were maintained under plastic film for 6 weeks with

bottom heat then uncovered and heat turned off to harden off cuttings.Survival: 15. Location: Planted Fall 05 in raised bed closest to hotbeds Note: buds were slightly swollen but not leafing out. Cuttings that survived

rooted along entire length of stem.

Robert Gorman1, Resource Development Agent/ Professor and Julie Roller2, Field Technician

Recommended Propagation Protocol for Native Plants of Southeast Alaska

Name Publication Name Publication

1 University of Alaska Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension Service, Anchorage, AK 99508; 2 formerly University of Alaska Fairbanks, Cooperative Extension Service, Sitka, AK 99835.

Cornus canadensis Flessner, Theresa R.; J.D.C. Trindle. 2003. Propagation protocol for production of container Cornus canadensis Bunchberry L. plants (1-year plugs). Native Plant Network. http://www.nativeplantnetwork.org. (accessed July 7, 2006).

Cornus stolonifera Potash, Laura, et al. January, 1994. Native Plant Notebook. (Portland, OR): U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Red-Osier Dogwood Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Publication R6-MBS-003-94.

Fritillaria camtchatcensis Pratt, Kevin and Jefferson-Brown, M. (1997). The Gardener’s Guide to Growing Fritillaries. Timber Press, Chocolate Lily/Indianrice Portland, Oregon. 160 pp.

Linnaea borealis Johnson, Kathy, D. Wick, R. Keating, T. Luna, J. Evans. 2001. Propagation protocol for vegetative production of Twinflower container Linnaea borealis L. plants (800 ml containers). Native Plant Network. http://www.nativeplantnetwork.org. (accessed July 7, 2006).

Oplopanax horridum Hosokawa, J., D. Wick, T. Luna. 2001 Propagation Protocol for Vegetative Production of Container Oplopanax Devil’s Club horridus Miq. Plants (3 L containers). Native Plant Network. http://www.nativeplantnetwork.org (accessed July 7, 2006)

Rubus chaemorus Stratification protocol: Brinkman, Kenneth A. and C.S. Schopmeyer (tech. coord.). 1974. Seeds of Woody Plants in the Cloudberry United States. Washington, D.C.: USDA Forest Service Agric. Handbook 450. Media protocol: Macdonald, Bruce. 2002. Practical Woody Plant Propagation for Nursery Growers. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Oregon.

Vaccinium ovalifolium Stratification protocol: Tirmentein, D. 1990. Vaccinium ovalifolium. In: Fire Effects Information System, U.S. Department Oval-leafed Blueberry of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ (accessed July 7, 2006). Media protocol: Crossley, John .A.1974. Vaccinium L. Blueberry. In Schopmeyer, C.S. (tech coord.). 1974. Seeds of the Woody Plant in the United States. Agric. Handbook 450. Washington, DC: USDA Forest Service, pp. 840 – 843.

Viburnum edule Holloway, Pat. 1988. Effects of Cutting Age and Collection Date on Rooting of Highbush Cranberry. Plant Highbush Cranberry Propagator. Spring/Summer pp 2, 4.

Sitka Kake