Seed Seekers

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY

PROTECT

SINCE 1972

SEED SEEKERS

Collecting and preserving seeds is a key part of the strategy when it comes to conserving rare plants. However, it is not as easy as going out and picking a flower. The time window to be able to collect plant seeds can be very narrow.

“If you collect too soon, the seed could be nonviable, and if you collect too late the seeds could already have dropped or have been eaten by birds – especially with Island red berry (Rhamnus pirifolia) because they are pretty tasty,” said Conservancy Horticulturalist Roya Miller.

That window is different for every plant and can even vary season over season, so it is important to have as many people trained in seed collection out on the landscape as possible. With that in mind, Conservancy staff participated in seed seeking for a Conservation Group Work Day, connecting the team with Channel Islands botanist and herbarium curator at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Steve Junak to learn the finer points of collection. The original seed seeking documentation was created by Janet Takara and Michael Herrera.

A few areas received special attention, with a focus on collecting Santa Catalina Island manzanita (Arctostaphylos catalinae), big-pod ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus), and feltleaf ceanothus (Ceanothus arboreus).

“We have been collecting, processing and planting,” said Miller, who added that seedlings are planted for restoration projects, for sale and to have a living collection. “Stochastic factors – random events – can happen, such as a fire or landslide, and wipe out an entire tiny population of something and that genetic diversity is gone forever. Having a living collection is a good way to preserve these unique species.” 7