Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Colorado State University:

Short Term Outcomes:

• Increase knowledge to Green Industry and eventually gardening public on more adaptable plants for Rocky Mountain and High Plains Region.
• Improve stock plant management protocols that growers can produce more vegetative cuttings off of many PlantSelect® plants.

Outputs:

• Brochure concerning 2023 PlantSelect® plants printed and distributed to Green Industry members in region and gardening public.
• Information about these PlantSelect® plants presented at conferences, blogs, and in newsprint.
• Propagation protocols presented to growers that increased their overall cutting production utilizing these research results.

Milestones:

PlantSelect® is a program with the goal to create smart plant choices for a New American Landscape inspired by the Rocky Mountain Region. It is the country’s leading source of plants designed to thrive in the high plains and intermountain region; a nonprofit collaboration between Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Horticulturists around the world.

In 2023, PlantSelect® introduced or promoted six plants. A clonal selection of Salvia ‘Ultra Violet’^pp21411 (Ultra Violet Salvia) was introduced that exhibits a compact and floriferous habit with iridescent deep purple flowers. It is more compact and hardier than other Salvia greggii types. Oenothera fremontii ‘Shimmer’^PP19,663 (Shimmer evening primrose) has large lemon-yellow flowers that bloom in late spring and re-bloom in the summer and fall. It is also a great pollinator plant. Penstemon xylus (Tushar bluemat Penstemon) is a tiny Penstemon with blue to blue-violet flowers from June to August. Also, new for 2023 is Psephellus simplicicaulis (Bellina Pink cornflower) which has bright pink pincushions flowers from spring through summer. The flowers look like bachelor button flowers. Two woody plants that were new in 2023 included Caragana microphylla ‘Tidy’ and Shepherdia argentea ‘Totem’. Tidy little leaf peashrub has showy yellow flowers with bright green ferny foliage in late spring on this small tree or large shrub. It has good heat and cold tolerance and thrives in poor soil and xeric conditions. Silver Totem® has an upright columnar growth habit which makes it ideal for accent hedges and ideal for spring, dry conditions. It will tolerate heat and drought.

In 2022-2023 greenhouse experiments continued with several PlantSelect® plants especially looking at photoperiod requirements of Callirhoe involucrata and Salvia greggii clones. This research is to keep stock plants vegetative longer to produce more cuttings so that we can help meet market demand for the PlantSelect® plants. We have also researched cold treatments of various lengths to keep various species of Agastache vegetative. Again this research is primarily to keep plants vegetative so that we can get more cuttings of these plants.

Iowa State University: 

Outputs:

Information that will support the propagation and adoption of Dirca spp. Data will efforts to assist native plant producers who wish to market these species. Data will inform propagation protocols for these North American species. 

Activities: 

Collected an additional cycle of data for a long-term assessment of reproductive success of Dirca palustris and Dirca occidentalis in selected wild populations.

North Dakota State University:

Short Term Outcomes:

• The general public increased their knowledge of native pollinator plants through NDSU Extension Master Gardener programming.
• In 2023, the NDSU Extension Master Gardener Program certified 26 new or retrofitted pollinator gardens/meadows totaling 34,036 square feet in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana.

Outputs:

• Developed content for an Extension Pollinator website that will go live in 2024; features material on native plants
• NDSU Extension Pollinator Technician developed an Extension Pollinator Facebook page to engage with the public; features information on native plants
• Conducted a 3-part monarch monitoring training for Extension Master Gardeners, 4-H volunteers and youth, and home gardeners that stressed the importance of native nectar plants to nourish adult monarch butterflies as well as native milkweed plants for the larvae.

Activities: 

• Organized two North Dakota State University field days that featured adult and children’s pollinator garden activities and education
• County Master Gardener groups hosted numerous pollinator garden tours, workshops, and children’s events across North Dakota

Milestones:

• NDSU Extension has an active pollinator education program where we educate the public, Extension Master Gardeners and the nursery industry on the use of native perennial and annual plants to nourish pollinators. Extension Master Gardener groups maintained 38 public pollinator teaching gardens across the state in 2023 to serve as inspiration and education for local gardeners. Many tours and workshops were conducted. As part of the program, gardeners, farmers, businesses, and other institutions can apply for a free “Certified Pollinator Garden” sign through the Extension Master Gardener Program if they plant new pollinator gardens/meadows or if they retrofit existing gardens to be pollinator-friendly. The use of native plants are strongly encouraged. In the past year, 26 individuals or institutions qualified for a free pollinator garden sign in the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana. These pollinator gardens/meadows totaled 34,036 square feet.
• McGinnis and her research collaborators published an article in HortScience comparing native and ornamental perennials for their ability to attract pollinators and other beneficial arthropods.

University of California:

Short Term Outcomes:

The information gained from our previous studies has been well received by the general public.  This research has also been published in refereed journals.  Since the pandemic, we have been able to conduct field days.  However, these workshops are still conducted via zoom meetings with the Master Gardener Program and clientele associated with nursery plant production and landscape maintenance.

Outputs:

The major output of our program has been to show people how to plant and maintain native plants in landscapes and how to commercially grow native plants with minimal impact to the environment.  Hands-on demonstrations and field days have been an important and essential part of these extension programs.

Activities: 

Our research activities involve determining which native plants are truly drought tolerant rather than drought avoiders – plants the develop extensive root systems to reach a water source.  Also, this study will indicate with plants are better candidates to mitigate the heat-island effects.

Milestones:

The primary focus of our research has been the evaluation of native plants as groundcovers in an effort to mitigate water requirements in landscapes and mitigate the urban heat island effect.

The driving force for the research has been the California drought.  Up until 2023, California was in a drought for several years and some areas or the state were under severe water restrictions.  More of the annual precipitation has been from warmer winter storms, which is reducing the accumulated snowpack in the winter months.  The melting snowpack from the Sierra Mountain Range is the water source during the dry summer and fall seasons.    Our groundcover project has evolved over the past several years.  We are now comparing groundcover performance of overhead irrigated vs. drip irrigation.  This is also being done, as there are undocumented comments indicating that California natives are unable to tolerate drip irrigation.  Therefore, the new studies are testing this theory with select native plants.

We have successfully demonstrated the use of two native groundcovers in landscapes and have shown how these plants can be successfully used in the typical landscape situation.  We have also developed a working relationship with growers of native plants, relaying information on success or failure of native plant species in our trials.

University of Hawaii at Manoa:

Short Term Outcomes:

• Increased knowledge in propagation and ornamental uses of Peperomia blanda, Peperomia sandwicensis and Scaevola taccada.
• Increased knowledge on indoor light tolerance of Peperomia sandwicensis (Ekahanui).

Outputs:

• Information about the new selections was made available to stakeholders (e.g. fellow researchers, nursery and landscape industry, landscape architects and the public) via industry led webinars.
• One selection of Peperomia sandwicensis (Ekahanui) have been evaluated under three indoor light levels.
• Two selections of Scaevola taccada have been evaluated under landscape conditions.

Milestones:

Native Peperomia selections

A selection of Peperomia sandwicensis (Ekahanui) with larger leaves compared to Peperomia sandwicensis ‘Palikea’ was evaluated for six months under three indoor light conditions (high, office and low). Visual ratings (1 = poor; 2 = fair; 3 = saleable; 4 = good; and 5  = excellent) recorded at 0, 3 and 6 months were similar between the different light treatments. The average visual rating was 3.6 each month. A second indoor light trial is currently being conducted and will finish in January 2024. Germplasm release manuscript preparation will follow.

A yellow Peperomia blanda is currently being increased for trials. This selection was isolated from a spontaneous variegation at the nursery, from plants collected in west Oahu. This selection is easy to propagate from tip and leaf bud cuttings, but is slower in growth compared to the wildtype. Currently, 75 plants have been propagated in 2.5 inch pots. These were pinched one month after planting. Evaluation for potted plant use will be scheduled.

Variegated naupaka (Scaevola taccada) propagation and selection

Variegated selections of naupaka (Scaevola taccada) have been observed on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii islands. These selections possess light green leaves with cream colored leaf margins. Currently, these selections are not available in the nurseries across the state. Only a variegated selection called ‘Fukupaka’ from Hawaii island has been extensively used in resort landscaping. This selection has a low and compact growing habit, and is used as a low maintenance hedge. In order to increase availability of these selections for the landscape industry, propagation techniques must be developed.

A selection from Kauai island was trialed at the UH Manoa Campus. The trial was divided into a propagation study and a landscape trial. A two-year propagation study was conducted and it evaluated the effect of rooting hormone (indole-3-butyric acid) on root characteristics of tip cuttings. Results indicate that tip cuttings significantly increased in root length, root surface area and root volume with application of at least 5,000 ppm indole-3-butyric acid. A landscape trial of this selection showed that this could be used as a low maintenance hedge. Cuttings of this selection is available upon request.

Another selection of variegated naupaka was isolated from the Kauai island selection. This plant exhibits yellow green splotches in the middle of the leaf with green leaf margins. Currently this selection is being increased. A landscape trial has also been set up. Growth, three months after planting, indicate that the variegation is slightly unstable. Certain branches can revert back to the wildtype but these can be selectively pruned. Further trials are being planned to determine acceptability by the industry.

University of Minnesota:

Short Term Outcomes:

Data will inform propagation protocols for desirable taxa and may support the adoption of native plants in commercial production. Generating information on regional suitability supports gardeners in making wise plant selection decisions.

Outputs:

• Information outlining the results of the propagation experiments was made available to stakeholders, including colleagues, nursery professionals with interest in native plants, and public stakeholders (Master Gardeners and local gardening clubs). 

Activities: 

Conducted a variety of invited presentations for academic and Extension audiences, state legislators, and green industry stakeholders to provide updates on research findings, share information to help with regulatory decision making, and generally recommend good native plants for use in managed landscapes. 

2023-07-10     Underutilized Woody Plants for Managed Landscapes. St. Peter Tree Care and Selection Workshop. Workshop speaker. St. Peter, MN. 20 participants. [Oral Presentation]

2023-04-01     Underutilized Woody Plants for Resilient Landscapes. Home Landscaping and Garden Fair; Anoka County Extension. Keynote speaker. Andover, MN. 55 participants. [Oral Presentation]

2023-03-16     Ask an Expert Core Course: Woody Plants. Minnesota Master Gardener Program. Virtual. 160 participants. [Event]

2023-03-15     Underutilized Woody Plants for Use in the Urban Landscape. Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course. Saint Paul, MN. 75 participants. [Oral Presentation]

2023-03-14     Underutilized Woody Plants for Use in the Urban Landscape. Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course. Saint Paul, MN. 92 participants. [Oral Presentation]

2023-03-09     Ask an Expert Core Course: Herbaceous Plants. Minnesota Master Gardener Program. Virtual. 156 participants. [Event]

2023-02-22     Novel Options for Diversifying Managed Landscapes: Hickories in Horticulture. Iowa State Shade Tree Short Course. Ames, IA. 90 participants.  [Oral Presentation]

2023-02-14     Species Diversity in Managed Landscapes: Underutilized Woody Plants. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Spotlight. Chaska, MN. 100+ participants.  [Oral Presentation]

2023-01-12     UMN AGREETT Program. Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee. Saint Paul, MN. [Oral Presentation]

2023-01-11     My Favorite Plant. Northern Green Expo. Minneapolis, MN. 50+ participants. [Oral Presentation]

2023-01-11     Landscape Diversity in the Upper Midwest: Underutilized Woody Plants. Northern Green Expo. Minneapolis, MN. 100+ participants. [Oral Presentation]

2023-01-10     Native Ornamental Plants for the Upper Midwest. Northern Green Expo. Minneapolis, MN. 100+ participants. [Oral Presentation]

Milestones:

• Trialed various asexual propagation techniques and collected data on rooting success and suitability for use with Forestiera pubescens growing at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which show promise for use in the Upper Midwest and throughout USDA hardiness zone 4b.
• Published assorted propagation, production, and regional-suitability research findings with Lindera benzoin, Carya spp., and various landscape grasses, respectively.

Utah State University:

Short Term Outcomes:

• The development of new and improved native plant products for landscape use within the green industry in Utah and the Intermountain West.
• Research results and publications increased knowledge about whole plant responses to water stresses, the reliability and adaptability of native plants in water-efficient landscapes, and effective propagation techniques of native plants. These results are disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, and presentations at local, regional, and national conferences. As a result, citizens of Utah and the western U.S. are increasingly recognizing the value of native plants, as reflected in rising demands, requests, and inquiries for native plants.

Outputs:

• Two cultivars released to Cache Valley Nursery, Hyrum, UT, have entered the market in 2023.
• Peer-reviewed papers and conference abstracts (presentations showcased the research findings) have been published in HortScience and HorTechnology.

Activities: 

• Evaluated a total of 192 plants, representing eight native species/cultivars, at UAES’s Greenville Research Farm.
• Assessed the field performance of pinyon pine trees at Hurricane Valley Fruit Farms and UAES's Blue Creek Research Farm.
• Initiated an experiment to examine the effects of substrate volumetric water contents on the growth and development of Penstemon hallii (hall's penstemon), Penstemon rostriflorus (bridges’ penstemon), Penstemon fruticosus (bush penstemon), and Penstemon richardsonii (richardson's penstemon) from May to November 2023.
• Investigated the effects of nitrogen concentrations on the nodulation of Ceanothus velutinus in greenhouse conditions.
• Conducted cutting propagation and grafting for numerous native species/cultivars, including Ceanothus prostrate(pinemat), Cercocarpus ledifolius intricatus ‘Hoodoo’ (little leaf mountain mahogany), and Paxistima myrsinites (mountain lover). Additionally, a witches’ broom found on a Pinus edulis (two-needle pinyon pine) tree at Utah State University campus was included in the study.

Milestones:

1. Evaluate the impact of deficit irrigation on landscape plants in field and greenhouse conditions.

• At UAES’s Greenville Research Farm, a comprehensive evaluation was conducted on eight native species/cultivars, totaling 192 plants. In June 2021, five native species/cultivars [Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed), Cercocarpus montanus ‘Coy’ (true or alder-leaf mountain mahogany), Hymenoxys acaulis arizonica 'Sol Dancer' (‘Sol Dancer’ daisy), Paxistima myrsinites (mountain lover), and grafted Pinus edulis (two-needle pinyon pine, BUT4)] were transplanted and irrigated at 80% of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) throughout summer 2021 for establishment. Subsequently, these plants underwent evaluation with three deficit irrigation treatments representing 80%, 50%, and 20% of ETo in 2022 and 2023. Visual quality and plant growth and physiology data were collected biweekly or monthly.

Three penstemon species [Penstemon strictus 'Rocky Mountain', Penstemon barbatus ‘Blue’ (Rock Candy Series ‘Blue’ beardtongue), and Penstemon pinifolius (pineleaf beardtongue)] were transplanted in July 2022 and irrigated at 80% of ETo throughout summer 2022 for establishment. These plants were subjected to three deficit irrigation treatments representing 80%, 50%, and 20% of ETo in 2023. Visual quality and plant growth and physiology data were collected biweekly or monthly. The goal is to identify low-water-use landscape plants suitable for Utah and the Intermountain West.

• Grafted pinyon pine trees were transplanted to Hurricane Valley Fruit Farms and UAES's Blue Creek Research Farm in May-June 2022. Unfortunately, all plants at Hurricane Valley Fruit Farms suffered damage from grasshoppers in 2022. By June 2023, only 28 pinyon pine plants (15.6%) at UAES's Blue Creek Research Farm had survived, potentially due to factors such as an abnormally high snowpack year (NRCS: NWCC 2023) and issues with mice. The surviving pinyon pine trees were excavated in October 2023 and relocated to free up the land for other researchers. Our plan is to establish a new plot at the UAES's Greenville Research Farm in 2024, using available grafted pinyon pines for evaluation in the years to come (8-10 years).

• A greenhouse experiment was set up assess the effects of substrate volumetric water contents on the growth and development of Penstemon hallii (hall's penstemon), Penstemon rostriflorus (bridges’ penstemon), Penstemon fruticosus (bush penstemon), and Penstemon richardsonii (richardson's penstemon) from May to November 2023. This research aims to enhance our understand of the morphological and physiological responses of landscape plants to varying substrate volumetric water contents. The conditions are maintained using a sensor-controlled automatic irrigation system in a controlled environment.

2. Evaluate the effects of nitrogen concentrations on the nodulation of Ceanothus velutinus under greenhouse conditions.

In October 2022, Ceanothus velutinus seedlings were grown in four-inch containers filled with calcined clay substrate inoculated with 30 ml of native soil. In June 2023, an experiment with two blocks (distinguished by plant size) was initiated to examine the effects of varying nitrogen concentrations on nodulation, plant growth, and physiology in greenhouse conditions. The first block was harvested in December 2023, and the second block is yet to be harvested.   

3. Cutting propagation and grafting of native plants

3.1 Cutting propagations were conducted for several native species/cultivars, including Ceanothus prostrate (pinemat), Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intricatus ‘Hoodoo’ (little leaf mountain mahogany), and Paxistima myrsinites (mountain lover).

3.2 On March 8, 2023, sixty grafts were made to propagate a witches’ broom found on a Pinus edulis (two-needle pinyon pine) tree at Utah State University campus, and 40 grafts were also made using scionwoods collected from the mother plant. Pinus edulis seedlings were used as rootstocks.

3.3 On November 6, 2023, a total of sixty grafts were made in a UAES’s hoop house to propagate a witches’ broom discovered on a Pinus edulis (two-needle pinyon pine) tree at Utah State University campus. Additionally, 40 grafts were made using scionwoods collected from the mother plant. Pinus edulis seedlings were used as rootstocks. Leaf samples were collected and submitted to Metware Biotechnology Inc. for analyzing phytohormones.

North Dakota State University:

• Calles Torrez, V., P.B. Beauzay, E.E. McGinnis, A.H. Knudson, B. Laschkewitsch, H. Hatterman-Valenti, and J. Knodel. 2023. Pollinators and Other Insect Visitations on Native and Ornamental Perennials in Two Landscapes. HortScience 58(8): 922-934.

University of California:

• Sapkota, A., Haghverdi, A., Merhaut, D., Singh, A. and J.C. Iradukunda. 2023. Response of landscape groundcovers to deficit irrigation: An assessment based on normalized difference vegetation index and visual quality rating. HortScience, 169:15-22.

University of Minnesota:

• Meyer, M.H. and B.M. Miller. 2023. Many Landscape Grasses Survive Long Term Hardiness Trails in US Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone 4b. HortTechnology 33 (4):407-418. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05247-23

• Miller, B.M. and N.L. Bassuk. 2023. Nursery Production Method Influences Growth of Hickories. J. Env. Hort. 41 (2):59-64. https://doi.org/10.24266/0738-2898-41.2.59

• Stokes, C.E., N.L. Bassuk and B.M. Miller. 2023. Light Reduction, Banding, and IBA Treatments Influence Adventitious Rooting of Lindera benzoin Stem Cuttings. HortScience 58 (5):506–512. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17022-22

Utah State University:

Peer-reviewed papers

• Paudel, A., Y. Sun, and L.A. Rupp. 2023. Cercocarpus ledifolius intricatus ‘DoubleDown’. HortScience 58(11):1309-1313.
• Paudel, A. and Y. Sun. 2023. Growth, morphological, and biochemical responses of four native species to salinity stress. HortScience 58(6):651-659.
• Chen, J., Y. Sun, K. Kopp, L. Oki, S.B. Jones, and L. Hipps. 2023. Physiological and canopy temperature responses to drought of four penstemon species. HortScience 58(5):539-549.

Abstracts

• Nepal, P., Z. Wang, A. Paudel, and Y. Sun. 2023. Evaluating two penstemon species for salinity tolerance. HortScience 58(9): S299.
• Paudel, A. and Y. Sun. 2023. Evaluating two penstemon species for salinity tolerance. HortScience 58(9): S250.