Plant Data Sheet
1
2
Species
(common name, Latin name)
(Fringed
grass of parnassus, Parnassia fimbriata, Parnassia fimbriata KOENIG)
Range
P.
fimbriata is widespread in the western United States
from south Alaska to California, the southwest and east to the Rockies in
Canada and the south.
Climate,
elevation
P.
fimbriata occurs in middle to alpine elevation zones,
but at sea level in Alaska.
Local
occurrence (where, how common)
Fairly common in both the Olympics,
Cascades and higher regions of Washington.
Habitat
preferences
Found
in bogs, wet open areas and meadows, near streambanks,
and forested seepage areas. Wetland
Indicator status: FACW,OBL.
Plant
strategy type/successional stage (stress-tolerator, competitor, weedy/colonizer, seral,
late successional)
Unknown
Associated
species
Unknown
May be collected as: (seed, layered,
divisions, etc.)
Produces abundant seeds in the fall. Larger clumps are easily divided in the
spring.
Collection
restrictions or guidelines
If
collecting seeds or plants in national parks or forest, please refer to their
guidelines for gathering and removing plant materials.
Seed
germination (needs dormancy breaking?)
Seeds
show characteristics of physiological dormancy.
This may be broken by sowing seeds outdoors in the fall and allowing
them to break their dormancy naturally or to use stratification techniques
similar to outdoor conditions. It is
recommended that seeds are surface sown outdoors soon after ripening in the
fall.
Seed
life (can be stored, short shelf-life, long shelf-life)
The
shelf-life is not known.
Recommended
seed storage conditions
It
is recommended to not store the seeds, but to sow them soon after harvesting
and ripening them.
Propagation
recommendations (plant seeds, vegetative parts, cuttings, etc.)
Parnassia does well both from seeds or
from divisions.
Soil or medium requirements (inoculum necessary?)
This
plant grows best in saturated peat or heavy, wet fertile soil. Recommended Ph level is between 6.0 and 8.0.
Installation
form (form, potential for successful outcomes, cost)
Does well in cultivation if given
enough water. Cost is reasonable due to abundance of seeds produced by
plants.
Recommended
planting density
This
information not available, and it is assumed that
there are no special preferences for this plant.
Care
requirements after installed (water weekly, water once etc.)
Keep
constantly moist. Some sources recommend growing in moving water after
germination.
Normal
rate of growth or spread; lifespan
P.
fimbriata grows rather slowly from seeds, reaching a
transplantable size in 2 years time.
Photo
sources
1 http://www.nawwal.org/~mrgoff/photojournal/2000/sum/sitka/8-10grassparnas.html
2 http://www.rootcellar.us/wildflowers/parnass.htm
Sources
cited
Foster,
H. Lincoln. Rock Gardening. A guide to Growing Alpines and Other Wildflowers
in the American Garden. New York: Bonanza Books, 1968.
Native Plants Propagation Protocol
Database. 12 April 2006. <http://www.nativeplantnetwork.
org/network/view.asp?protocol_id=209>.
PLANTS Database. United
States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
12April, 2006. <http://plants.nrcs.usda.gov>.
Data compiled by (student name and
date)
Molly Deardorff 4/12/06