Oak and Manzanita: Exciting Research at CCW

Story by Aaron Fitch and Shelby Baker.

Central Coast Wilds (CCW) is a wholesale and retail native plant nursery specialized in growing watershed specific plants for large scale habitat restoration projects and ecological landscapes. Our Research and Development (R&D) Department uses basic and applied research to gain a comprehensive understanding of detailed nursery production.

Sowing Oak Acorns

Here at CCW the most popular Oak species that we grow are Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak) and Quercus lobata (Valley Oak). In one study, acorns with 4+ holes were less likely to germinate successfully than acorns with a couple or no holes. We hypothesize that the more holes an acorn had, the higher likelihood there was of the radicle or embryonic new shoot being damaged by the acorn grub inside.

In a separate study, we concluded that the angle at which acorns are planted is significant. Acorns planted straight down were prone to getting stuck and curling inside the acorn. However, when planted on its side the percentage of acorns that were able to germinate were able to grow beyond the seed coat into healthy trees, mimicking what naturally occurs in nature.

Propagation from Cuttings

Arctostaphylos spp., manzanitas, are notoriously challenging to propagate through seeds. To produce manzanitas we use cuttings. We experimented with heel cuts vs straight cuts. The cuttings with heel cuts had a better success rate (48%) than the cutting with a straight cut (31%). Therefore, whenever possible we will use the heel cut method on manzanitas for cutting propagation.