Species (common name, Latin
name)
Stiff
Sagebrush/Rock Sagebrush/Scabland Sagebrush, Artemisia rigida
Washington,
northeastern Oregon, and west-central Idaho, Reports of stiff sagebrush
occurring in western Montana are apparently the results of misidentification.
A. rigida occurs in more arid
climates that usually have severe moisture saturation in the winter and requires
that there be at least seventy days that are frost free. It is found anywhere between 700 ft. to 7000 ft.
Local occurrence (where, how
common)
A rigida is usually found above 3000
ft. in Washington and is most common in shallow, stony sites mostly in the
southern part of the state.
A. rigida thrives in harsh,
unproductive sites that are shallow and
stony and usually
are above basaltic bedrock.
Plant strategy
type/successional stage (stress-tolerator, seral, late successional)
A. rigida is considered a climax
species of the areas it inhabits. It is a late successional species that takes
many years to become dominant.
Great Basin sagebrush, Wheatgrass-bluegrass, Rocky Mountain juniper, Pinon-juniper
May be collected as: (seed,
layered, divisions, etc.)
Seed,
Cuttings from branches and roots.
Collection restrictions or
guidelines
Collect
by hand and separate seeds using tweezers, seeds can be cleaned by hand using a
metal screen. The seeds are mature between September and November. In spring
seeds in ground are viable. Seeds are short lived and last less than 5 years in
warehouse storage although some subspecies can be stored for longer so the
ability to store seeds for an extended time is probable.
Seed germination (needs
dormancy breaking?)
No stratification is required but a 5 month outdoor winter stratification of the seeds is recommended for plants growing in colder climates. The seeds are surface sown and need light to germinate. The medium should be kept slightly moist during germination.
Seed life (can be stored,
short shelf-life, long shelf-life)
Seeds
can be stored for no more than five years in warehouse conditions
Prior
to cleaning seeds can be stored in paper bags in a well ventilated drying shed.
After cleaning the seeds they can be stored in a sealed container at 1 C for no
longer than 2 years.
Propagation recommendations
(plant seeds, vegetative parts, cuttings, etc.)
Seeds
should be germinated on slightly moist medium and must be surface sown and
exposed to light to root. A stable root system should be established within 4
weeks and the seedlings should be placed in individual pots. From germination
to harvest should be about 10 months but this can vary due to growing
conditions and the conditions in which the seeds were collected.
Soil or medium requirements
(inoculum necessary?)
A. rigida germinates well on
commercial soil-less medium such as 50% milled sphagnum pete, perlite, and vermiculite.
In its natural state A. rigida grows
well in sandy well draining soils like loam and is intolerant to alkaline
soils.
Installation form (form,
potential for successful outcomes, cost)
Seed,
container plants grown from seeds, inexpensive pots and medium
Recommended planting density
Sparsely planted, after seedling is larger than 4 in. it should be planted in an individual container.
Care requirements after
installed (water weekly, water once etc.)
During germination the medium should be kept moist and after good root establishment watering 3 to 4 times a week is necessary if habitat is extremely hot watering should be increased.
Normal rate of growth or
spread; lifespan
A. rigida is slow growing and may
take up to 3 years to produce viable seeds. Most tridentata lives to be 40 – 60 years old but it can reach ages
older than 100 years particularly in “unfavorable sites” where most other
plants do not thrive.
1. USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS
Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov).
National Plant Data Center,
Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
2. FEIS Plant
Database
(http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/)
3. Washington Native Plant Society
(http://www.wnps.org/plant_lists/exploring_native_plants.html)
Data compiled by (student
name and date)
Pat
Kendzierski 4/27/05