Ephedra viridis |
Native Region: Southwest USA (California, Arizona, Oregon, Wyoming)
Zone Range: 5-10
Preferred Climate: Sunny sites with well draining coarse neutral pH soil.
Harvest Date: Monday 10 September, 2007
Seed count: 40-50
Description:
From North America's Southswest comes this wonderful, much misunderstood/misused, leafless evergreen. Looks similar to broom in winter. A very primative looking plant, but perfect for xeroscapes as it evolved in the desert like conditions. Tough plant when established and depending on site and plant can be a squat wide ground cover or reach 1.4 meters in height with equal width or somewhere inbetween!
Notes:
Gendered species. Brittle roots so be careful when seating or doing grounds maintainence/weeding. If you live in a rainy zone, make sure you give this plant sufficent drainage (plant on slope and/or amend soil with coarse sand and perhaps a pea gravel scree top dressing.
Cultivation:
Soak seed 24 hours in water with at least two soak water changes in that time as it removes leached inhibitors. Use an equal sand/moist peat medium for best results. Place seed in a resealable baggie with moist sand/peat medium and place somewhere warm (20C). Germinates in 2-7 days. Prick out larger seedlings and transplant individually. Seeds just beginning to germinate, sprinkle evenly over prepared surface (equal peat & sand mix). Use multiple pots for this as it grows quickly. Cover with 1 cm of sand/peat medium. Mist the medium to firm it around the germinating seed. DO NOT use any other mechanical means as this will damage the seedling roots. You can traditionally sow in pots too. Sow 3-5mm deep. Tamp firm and mist well. Plastic cover improves success. Don't let seedlings dry out. Use deep celled trays/pots as the roots go deep very quickly.
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