About PLANTS Characteristics
Conservation Plant Characteristics species list
Conservation Plant Characteristics Data Definitions
We have Characteristics for about 2000 conservation plant
species and 500 additional cultivars. (A cultivar is a variety,
strain, or race that has originated and persisted under cultivation
or was specifically developed for cultivation; cultivar is
the cultivated plant equivalent of botanical variety.) Mostly
we have species (not cultivar) data since conservation plants
are primarily native plants without named cultivars. We also
have this species data for most of the plants that have cultivar
data, and the data ranges for a species generally encompass
the ranges for its cultivar(s). In a few cases we have cultivar
data only.
These data have been gathered from the scientific literature, gray literature, agency documents, and the knowledge of plant specialists. Characteristics data values are best viewed as approximations since they are primarily based on field observations and estimates from the literature, not precise measurements or experiments. Characteristics for the many conservation plant species native to the U.S. were typically provided by experts familiar with the species in its natural setting. Most values given apply to plants nationwide. Many values are relative to other species since absolute figures are not available. If you think the data can be improved, please contact the Data Steward.
Characteristics Data Fields
Summary |
Duration |
Growth Habit |
Duration |
Native Status |
Federal T/E Status |
National Wetland Indicator |
|
Morphology/Physiology |
Active Growth Period |
After Harvest Regrowth Rate |
Bloat |
C:N Ratio |
Coppice Potential |
Fall Conspicuous |
Fire Resistant |
Flower Color |
Flower Conspicuous |
Foliage Color |
Foliage Porosity Summer |
Foliage Porosity Winter |
Foliage Texture |
Fruit/Seed Color |
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous |
Growth Form |
Growth Rate |
Height at Base Age, Maximum |
Height at Maturity |
Known Allelopath |
Leaf Retention |
Lifespan |
Low Growing Grass |
Nitrogen Fixation |
Resprout Ability |
Shape and Orientation |
Toxicity |
|
Growth Requirements |
Adapted To Coarse Textured
Soils |
Adapted To Medium Textured
Soils |
Adapted To Fine Textured Soils |
Anaerobic Tolerance |
CaCO3 Tolerance |
Cold Stratification Required |
Drought Tolerance |
Fertility Requirement |
Fire Tolerance |
Frost Free Days, Minimum |
Hedge Tolerance |
Moisture Use |
pH, Minimum |
pH, Maximum |
Planting Density Per Acre,
Minimum |
Planting Density Per Acre,
Maximum |
Precipitation, Minimum |
Precipitation, Maximum |
Root Depth, Minimum |
Salinity Tolerance |
Shade Tolerance |
Temperature, Minimum (°F) |
|
Reproduction |
Bloom Period |
Commercial Availability |
Fruit/Seed Abundance |
Fruit/Seed Period Begin |
Fruit/Seed Period End |
Fruit/Seed Persistence |
Propagated By Bare Root |
Propagated By Bulbs |
Propagated By Container |
Propagated By Corms |
Propagated By Cuttings |
Propagated By Seed |
Propagated By Sod |
Propagated By Sprigs |
Propagated By Tubers |
Seed Per Pound |
Seed Spread Rate |
Seedling Vigor |
Small Grain |
Vegetative Spread Rate |
|
Suitibility/Use |
Berry/Nut/Seed Product |
Christmas Tree Product |
Fodder Product |
Fuelwood Product |
Lumber Product |
Naval Store Product |
Nursery Stock Product |
Palatable Browse Animal |
Palatable Graze Animal |
Palatable Human |
Post Product |
Protein Potential |
Pulpwood Product |
Veneer Product |
Characteristics
Data Definitions
Summary
Duration: From PLANTS core data set.
Growth
Habit: From PLANTS core data set.
Native Status From PLANTS
core data set.
Federal T/E Status: From PLANTS core data
set, established by the USFWS.
National Wetland Indicator: From
PLANTS core data set, established by the USFWS.
Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period: Plants have their most
active growth in which seasonal period?
- Spring
- Spring & Fall
- Spring & Summer
- Spring, Summer & Fall
- Summer
- Summer & Fall
- Fall
- Fall, Winter & Spring
- Year-round
After Harvest Regrowth Rate: What is the
relative rate of regrowth of a herbaceous plant after a harvest
of aboveground herbage? Woody plants are left blank here.
Bloat: What is the relative potential of
an herbaceous plant to cause bloat in livestock? Woody plants
are scored "None” here by default.
C:N Ratio: C:N ratio is the percentage of
organic carbon divided by the percentage of total nitrogen
in organic material. We specify the organic material as either
the above ground biomass of a herbaceous plant or the above
ground herbaceous material of a woody plant. Our relative values
correspond to these numerical ranges: Low: <23; Medium:
23 – 59; High: >59.
Coppice Potential: Is the tree or shrub suitable
for the coppice method of silviculture. Coppicing completely
removes the canopy of woody plants, cutting them at or just
above ground level. Plants other than trees and shrubs are
scored "No" here by default.
Fall Conspicuous: Are the leaves or fruits
conspicuous during Autumn from a landscaping aesthetics standpoint?
Fire Resistant: Is the plant known to resist
burning? If the plant can carry a fire—and most can—this
value will be no. This characteristic is best evaluated with
reference to problem fires in California.
Flower Color: What is the predominant color
of the flowers?
- Blue
- Brown
- Green
- Orange
- Purple
- Red
- White
- Yellow
Flower Conspicuous: Are
the flowers conspicuous from a landscaping aesthetics standpoint?
Foliage Color: What is the predominant color
of the foliage?
- Dark Green
- Green
- Gray-Green
- Red
- White-Gray
- Yellow-Green
Foliage Porosity Summer: How porous is the
foliage during the summer months?
Foliage Porosity Winter: How porous is the
foliage during the winter months?
Foliage Texture: What is the general texture
of the plant’s foliage relative to other species with
the same growth habit?
Fruit/Seed Color: What is the predominant
and conspicuous color of the mature fruit or seed from a landscaping
aesthetics standpoint?
- Black
- Blue
- Brown
- Green
- Orange
- Purple
- Red
- White
- Yellow
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous: Is the fruit or seed
conspicuous from a landscaping aesthetics standpoint?
Growth Form: What is the primary growth form
on the landscape in relation to soil stabilization on slopes
and streamsides? Each plant species is assigned the single
growth form that most enhances its ability to stabilize soil.
- Bunch: Plant development by intravaginal
tillering at or near the soil surface without production
of rhizomes or stolons.
- Colonizing: A plant that is likely to
behave as a colonizer when planted to enhance soil stabilization.
- Multiple Stems: Plant development by producing
two or more stems. Examples: roundleaf dogwood (Cornus
rugosa) and red huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium).
- Rhizomatous: Plant development by the
production of rhizomes which give rise to vegetative spread.
- Single Crown: A herbaceous plant that
develops one persistent base.
- Single Stem: Plant development by the
production of one stem. Examples: corn (Zea mays)
and American beech (Fagus grandifolia).
- Stoloniferous: Plant development by the
production of stolons which give rise to vegetative spread.
- Thicket Forming: A plant that is likely
to develop thickets when planted to stabilize soil.
Growth Rate: What is the growth rate after
successful establishment relative to other species with the
same growth habit?
Height at Base Age, Maximum: Maximum height
(in feet) of a tree, shrub or sub-shrub, under ideal conditions,
at a base age. The base age is 20 years for trees in temperate
areas (>30 degrees north latitude), 10 years for trees in
tropical areas (≤30 degrees north latitude), and 10 years
for all shrubs and sub-shrubs. Ideal conditions are defined
as soil pH = 5.0-7.8; soil salinity ≤ 4
mmhos/cm; soil depth ≥ 40 inches; effective
average annual precipitation ≥ 30 inches;
soil texture class = medium; no ponding; rare or no annual
flooding; and high water table depth ≥ 1
foot during plant active growth period. Plants other than trees,
shrubs, and sub-shrubs are left blank here.
Height at Maturity: Expected height (in feet)
of plant at maturity. This is an estimate of the median mature
height of all plants of a species or cultivar. Within a species
mature height is quite variable, so this estimate is provided
only to give a rough idea for planning purposes.
Known Allelopath: Has this plant species
been shown to be allelopathic to at least one other species?
Leaf Retention: Does the tree, shrub, or
sub-shrub retain its leaves year round? Plants with other growth
habits are scored "No" here by default.
Lifespan: What is the expected lifespan (in
years) of a perennial plant relative to other species with
the same growth habit? For the Tree growth habit: Short: < 100;
Moderate: 100 - 250; Long: >250. Lifespans for other growth
habits are not quantified.
Low Growing Grass: Does the growing point
(terminal meristem) of the vegetative grass tiller remain either
at or near the crown? Plants other than grasses are scored "No" here
by default.
Nitrogen Fixation: How much nitrogen is fixed
by this plant in monoculture? Our relative values correspond
to these numerical ranges: Low: <85 lb N/acre/year; Medium:
85-160; High: >160.
Resprout Ability: Will the woody perennial
resprout following top (aboveground biomass) removal? Herbaceous
plants are scored "No” here by default.
Shape and Orientation: What is the growth
form or predominant shape of an individual plant? (This characteristic
is especially useful for selecting species for windbreaks.)
- Climbing
- Columnar
- Conical
- Decumbent
- Erect
- Irregular
- Oval
- Prostrate
- Rounded
- Semi-Erect
- Vase
Toxicity: What is the relative toxicity of
the plant to either humans or livestock?
- None, Slight, Moderate, Severe
Growth Requirements
Adapted To Coarse Textured Soils: Can this
plant establish and grow in soil with a coarse textured surface
layer? See table below for more information.
Adapted To Medium Textured Soils: Can this
plant establish and grow in soil with a medium textured surface
layer? See table below for more information.
Adapted To Fine Textured Soils: Can this
plant establish and grow in soil with a fine textured surface
layer? See table below for more information.
Characteristics soil texture groups and corresponding soil
texture classes.
Characteristics soil texture group |
Corresponding soil texture classes from the Soil Texture Triangle |
Course |
Sand |
Course sand |
Fine sand |
Course |
Loamy course sand |
Loamy fine sand |
Loamy very fine sand |
Course |
Very fine sand |
Loamy sand |
|
Medium |
Silt |
Sandy clay loam |
Very fine sandy loam |
Medium |
Silty clay loam |
Silt loam |
Loam |
Medium |
Fine sandy loam |
Sandy loam |
Course sandy loam |
Medium |
Clay loam |
|
|
Fine |
Sandy clay |
Silty clay |
Clay |
Source: The soil texture classes are from
the Soil Science Society of America,
http://www.soils.org/.
An NRCS team partitioned the soil textures into the three groups.
Anaerobic Tolerance: What is the relative
tolerance to anaerobic soil conditions?
CaCO3 Tolerance: What is the relative tolerance
to calcareous soil? We define calcareous soil as soil containing
sufficient free CaCO3 and other carbonates to effervesce visibly
or audibly when treated with cold 0.1M HCl. These soils usually
contain from 10 to almost 1000g/kg CaCO3 equivalent.
Cold Stratification Required: Will cold stratification
significantly increase the seed germination percentage of this
plant?
Drought Tolerance: What is the relative tolerance
of the plant to drought conditions compared to other species
with the same growth habit from the same geographical region?
Drought tolerance is defined here in the following fashion:
Imagine that in an acre of land there are low areas that have
heavy soil and tend to accumulate more soil moisture, and higher
areas that have course textured soil and tend to accumulate
less soil moisture. Some plant species are most frequently
found growing in the higher areas with the course soil texture.
These plant species are considered to be more drought tolerant
than the species that are frequently found in the low areas
with fine textured soil.
Fertility Requirement: What relative level
of nutrition (N, P, K) is required for normal growth and development?
Fire Tolerance: What is the relative ability
to resprout, regrow, or reestablish from residual seed after
a fire?
Frost Free Days, Minimum: The minimum average
number of frost-free days within the plant’s known geographical
range. For cultivars, the geographical range is defined as
the area to which the cultivar is well adapted rather than
marginally adapted.
Hedge Tolerance: What is the relative tolerance
of woody perennials to hedging (close cropping) by livestock
or wildlife? Herbaceous plants are scored "None” here
by default.
Moisture Use: Ability to use (i.e., remove)
available soil moisture relative to other species in the same
(or similar) soil moisture availability region.
pH, Minimum: The minimum soil pH, of the
top 12 inches of soil, within the plant’s known geographical
range. For cultivars, the geographical range is defined as
the area to which the cultivar is well adapted rather than
marginally adapted.
pH, Maximum: The maximum soil pH, of the
top 12 inches of soil, within the plant’s known geographical
range. For cultivars, the geographical range is defined as
the area to which the cultivar is well adapted rather than
marginally adapted.
Planting Density Per Acre, Minimum: Recommended
minimum number of individual plants to plant per acre.
Planting Density Per Acre, Maximum: Recommended
maximum number of individual plants to plant per acre.
Precipitation, Minimum: Minimum tolerable
rainfall (in inches), expressed as the average annual minimum
precipitation that occurs 20% of the time (i.e., the probability
of it being this dry in any given year is 20%) at the driest
climate station within the known geographical range of the
plant. For cultivars, the geographical range is defined as
the area to which the cultivar is well adapted rather than
marginally adapted.
Precipitation, Maximum: Maximum tolerable
rainfall (in inches), expressed as the annual average precipitation
of the wettest climate station within the known geographical
range of the plant. For cultivars, the geographical range is
defined as the area to which the cultivar is well adapted rather
than marginally adapted.
Root Depth, Minimum: The minimum depth of
soil (in inches) required for good growth. Plants that do not
have roots such as rootless aquatic plants (floating or submerged)
and epiphytes are assigned a minimum root depth value of zero.
Salinity Tolerance: What is the plant’s
tolerance to soil salinity? Tolerance to a soil salinity level
is defined as only a slight reduction (not greater than 10%)
in plant growth. None = tolerant to a soil with an electrical
conductivity of the soil solution extract of 0-2 dS/m; Low
= tolerant to 2.1-4.0 dS/m; Medium = tolerant to 4.1-8.0 dS/m;
High = tolerant to greater than 8.0 dS/m.
Shade Tolerance: What is the relative tolerance
to shade conditions?
- Intolerant, Intermediate, Tolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F): The
minimum tolerable temperature is the lowest temperature
recorded in the plant’s historical range. If this is
not available, the record low January temperature recorded
at climate stations within the current geographical range of
the plant is used. This definition does not apply to summer
annuals.
Reproduction
Bloom Period: During what seasonal period
in the U.S. does the plant bloom the most? The bloom period
is defined as the time when pollen is shed and stigmas are
receptive.
- Spring
- Early Spring
- Mid Spring
- Late Spring
- Summer
- Early Summer
- Mid Summer
- Late Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Late Winter
- Indeterminate
Commercial Availability: What is the availability
of plant propagules in the commercial marketplace?
- No known source
- Routinely available
- Contracting only: available only through contracting with
a commercial grower
- Field collections only: not produced by commercial growers
Fruit/Seed Abundance: What is the amount
of seed produced by the plant compared to other species with
the same growth habit?
Fruit/Seed Period Begin: Season in which
the earliest fruit or seed of the fruit/seed period is visually
obvious.
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Year-round
Fruit/Seed Period End: Season in which the
latest fruit or seed of the fruit/seed period is visually obvious.
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Year-round
Fruit/Seed Persistence: Are the fruit or
seed generally recognized as being persistent on the plant?
Propagated By Bare Root: Is it practical
to propagate this plant as a bare root product?
Propagated By Bulbs: Is it practical to propagate
this plant as bulbs?
Propagated By Container: Does the plant lend
itself to being developed as a container product?
Propagated By Corms: Is it practical to propagate
this plant as corms?
Propagated By Cuttings: Is it practical to
propagate this plant as either stem or root cuttings?
Propagated By Seed: Is it practical to propagate
this plant by seed?
Propagated By Sod: Does the plant lend itself
to being developed as a sod product?
Propagated By Sprigs: Is it practical to
propagate this plant by sprigs?
Propagated By Tubers: Is it practical to
propagate this plant by tubers?
Seed Per Pound: How many seeds per pound
are in an average seed lot?
Seed Spread Rate: What is the capability
of the plant to spread through its seed production compared
to other species with the same growth habit?
- None, Slow, Moderate, Rapid
Seedling Vigor: What is the expected seedling
survival percentage of the plant compared to other species
with the same growth habit?
Small Grain: Is this plant a small grain?
Vegetative Spread Rate: At what rate can
this plant can spread compared to other species with the same
growth habit?
- None, Slow, Moderate, Rapid
Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product: Is the woody perennial
suitable for the commercial production of either berries, nuts,
or seeds? Herbaceous plants are scored "No” here
by default.
Christmas Tree Product: Is the plant known
to be suitable for the Christmas tree market?
Fodder Product: Is the plant known to be
used as animal fodder material? The definition of fodder from
the Crop Science Society of America is: Course grasses such
as corn or sorghum harvested with the seed and leaves green
or alive, then cured and fed in their entirety as forage.
Fuelwood Product: What is the relative suitability
or potential of this tree or shrub to produce fuelwood? If
suitability is unknown, we have expressed fuelwood potential
in terms of weight (in lbs) per cubic foot of green wood. Our
relative values correspond to these numerical ranges: Low: <28;
Medium: 28-35; High: >35. Plants other than trees and shrubs
are left blank here.
Lumber Product: Is the plant suitable, or
does it have potential, for use as a commercial lumber producer?
Naval Store Product: Is the woody perennial
suitable for production of naval store products? Navel Store
Products are defined as tar, pitch, turpentine, pine oil, rosin,
and terpenes obtained from pine and other coniferous trees.
Herbaceous plants are scored "No” here by default.
Nursery Stock Product: Is the plant suitable
for production of nursery stock?
Palatable Browse Animal: What is the relative
palatability of this plant to browsing animals?
Palatable Graze Animal: What is the relative
palatability of this herbaceous plant to grazing livestock?
Palatable Human: Does the plant produce berries,
nuts, seeds, or fruits that are palatable to humans?
Post Product: Is the tree or shrub commonly
used or does it have high potential for the production of posts,
poles, mine timbers, or railroad ties? Plants other than trees
and shrubs are scored “No” here by default.
Protein Potential: What is the relative protein
content of the plant parts that are grazed or browsed by animals?
Pulpwood Product: Is the woody perennial
commonly used or does it have high potential to be used for
the production of pulpwood? Herbaceous plants are scored "No" here
by default.
Veneer Product: Is the tree commonly used
or does it have high potential to be used for commercial veneer
or plywood? Plants other than trees are scored “No” here
by default.
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