The objective is to obtain additional seed collections to secure representation throughout each species' range of occurrence. The additional seed collections will allow for a thorough evaluation and selection of potential ecotypes in the future. Once adequate collections from representative locations in Montana and Wyoming are made, these species will be seeded in Initial Evaluation Plantings to determine their suitability for conservation plantings and commercial seed production.
No Species have been identified for collection in 2019.
Collection Procedure
Please refer Montana Plant Materials Technical Note, MT-50 “The NRCS Field Office Guide to Collecting Wildland Seed” for information on how to collect seed. Be sure to complete the Seed and Plant Collection Information form (NRCS-ECS-580) for each collection for species and site information. Follow directions on the form for the number of plants to collect from, how to determine seed ripeness, and seed storage. Collect Large Samples! (30 to 40 grams, 1+ oz.) To facilitate testing, the PMC needs at least 30 grams of seed.
Milkweed Identification and Collection
Plains, slimleaf, and whorled milkweeds all have linear leaves 4 mm wide or less and white or greenish flowers. The leaves of plains milkweed are shorter than 1.6 inches, spirally arranged and plants are mostly less than 8 inches tall. Slimleaf milkweed has opposite or alternate leaves, and whorled milkweed has whorled leaves. Showy, swamp, and green comet milkweeds have leaves wider than 4 mm. Showy and swamp milkweeds have pink, purple or rose-colored flowers and can be distinguished by the length of the hood-like appendage at the base of the stamens (10 mm in showy and 2-4 mm in swamp). Green comet milkweed has green flowers.
The ideal time to collect milkweed pods is when the seeds inside have matured and turned brown but the pod seams have not fully opened and the floss fibers have not yet expanded. At this stage, seed can be easily hand-stripped from the pod while leaving the unexpanded floss behind. You can test an un-opened pod for maturity by applying pressure to the seam. If the seam doesn’t readily open; the seed inside is immature. Immature seed are white, yellow or green.
Send seed collections to:
Joe Scianna
USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center
98 South River Road
Bridger, Montana 59014-9514
