| Native plants have been increasingly recognized as a crucial component of forest management, especially after a fire or some other disturbance. They provide many benefits to the forest ecosystem such as erosion and flood control, wildlife forage and habitat, species diversity, soil stabilization, aesthetic enhancement, riparian restoration, revegetation of road cuts, and improvement of recreational areas. |
| In order to successfully propagate native plants, it is important to know a good deal about the target species. For seed collection, the plant must be properly identified and seed harvest must occur at the appropriate time for optimal seed vitality. The time of harvest can vary over the geographical range for a single species. Some species only produce an adequate seed crop every few years while others have prolific seed production every year. The method of seed collection can vary greatly among species based on plant form and seed size. |
| Growing native plants from seed can be a complicated task. Once collected, the variety of fruits, acorns, pods, capsules, and berries require differing equipment and techniques for extraction. Furthermore, seed longevity varies greatly among species: some can be stored for years while others need to be germinated immediately. The success of germination depends on knowing what each species requires to overcome physical barriers (i.e., seed coat) or physiological barriers (i.e., dormancy). The appropriate media, moisture, temperature, scarification, chemicals, light, and nutrients determine the success of germination and subsequent growth. |
| Vegetative propagation of native plants can also pose some interesting challenges. Plants can be produced by cuttings, division, layering, rhizomes, tissue culture, and grafting. Again, an understanding of each species is important to successful propagation by these techniques. One of the most common techniques is by rooted cuttings, but this must be approached on a species by species basis. Some species root more successfully using branch tips while others root well with stem, leaf, or root cuttings. In addition, many species root more readily when treated with a root growth hormone. |
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