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Native Plant Propagation Guidelines:
shrubs

Holodiscus discolor (oceanspray)

Category: 
shrubs

oceanspray

Erect shrub usually with several main stems to 4 m in height. Leaves alternate, deciduous, slightly hairy, and oval to triangular in shape with prominent veins and many small lobes with fine teeth. Flowers small, white to cream in colour, in dense terminal panicles of up to 30 cm in length. Flower clusters turn brown and remain on the plant over winter. Fruit is a tiny (2 mm long), yellowish-brown, hairy achene (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994). Photo by Moralea Milne.

Scientific Name: 

Holodiscus discolor (Pursh) Maxim.

Family: 
Rosaceae
English Name: 
oceanspray
Other Names: 
creambush, ironwood, arrow wood

Geographical Range and Habitat Requirements

Ecological Setting: 

Cool temperate and cool mesothermal climates from southern British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to California and east to western Montana. Found from sea level to 2100 m, decreasing in occurrence with increasing elevation, latitude and precipitation (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Soil Texture: 

Well-drained, coarse-textured soils (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Nutrients: 

Nitrogen-medium soils (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Soil Reaction and Salinity: 

pH 5.5 to 7.5

Moisture Regime: 

Very dry to moderately dry, moisture-shedding sites soils (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Shade Tolerance: 

Full sun to partial shade. Prefers open areas (open woodlands, clearings, logged areas, ravine edges, coastal bluffs) (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Successional Status: 

Climax species on drier sites. Pioneer seral species on moister sites due to its ability to regenerate after fire and other disturbances (Stickney, 1974; Anderson, 1987).

BEC Zone and GOE Community Status: 

Characteristic of the Garry oak-oceanspray community where it is most often associated with indicator plants such as Oregon grape (Mahonia spp.) and the moss Kindbergia oregana (Klinka et al., 1989; Erickson, 1996).

Uses

Site Rehabilitation: 

Excellent soil-binding characteristics for site stabilization and erosion control (Potash and Aubrey, 1997; Rose, Chachulski and Haase, 1998).

Wildlife: 

Moderately-important browser species for coastal blacktail deer. Important food source for small, seed-eating birds.

Landscaping: 

Creamy-white panicles of "soft lace". One of the top ten native shrubs in the Pacific Northwest. Beautiful as a background to herbaceous borders, particularly of tall perennials such as foxgloves and blue-flowered delphiniums (Grant and Grant, 1967).

First Nations: 

Wood for digging sticks, spear and harpoon shafts, bows, and arrow shafts. Infusions of dry inflorescences ingested as a cure for diarrhea and as a blood tonic (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Other Uses: 

Known as "ironwood" due to the strength and hardness of the wood. Used for fishing rods, walking sticks and, before iron nails were commonly-available, as pegs in construction work (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Seed Propagation

Flowering Time: 

Late June - July

Fruit Ripening Time: 

Late August

Seed Collection Time: 

September to October. Fruit should be collected while the flower clusters are dark brown (grey-coloured flower clusters indicate that the majority of fruits have been shed) (Potash and Aubrey, 1997).

Crop Intervals: 

Normally annual

Number of Seeds per Kilogram: 

11 - 12 million

Seed Viability: 

< 10%

Fruit and Seed Collection and Extraction: 

Fruits may be collected by hand-picking mature flower clusters into collecting bags and shaking to release the achenes, or by placing tarpaulins, trays or boxes under the plant's branches and flailing them with paddles or racquets (Banerjee, Creasy and Gertzen, 2001).

Seed Storage: 

No information available. Assumed cold storage at 2-4º C.

Fruit/Seed Dormancy and Treatment: 

Achenes exhibit pronounced dormancy. For optimum germination, seed must be either sown in the fall (usually preferable) or undergo a cold, moist stratification at 4-5º C for a period of 15 to 18 weeks. Following stratification, seed will germinate quickly if held at temperatures of 20-24º C (Potash and Aubrey, 1997).

Vegetative Propagation

Method Success Rate Time of Collection
Softwood cuttings Do not perform well n/a
Semi-hardwood cuttings Good Late summer/early fall
Hardwood cuttings Good January/February
Root cuttings n/a n/a
Suckers Good Fall or early spring
Plant division Good (ability to sprout from perennating buds located on the root crown) Fall or early spring

 

Outplanting Characteristics and Requirements

Grows on a wide range of well-drained soils in sun or partial shade. When used as a landscaping plant, regular watering during the first year of establishment improves survival and early growth. Requires regular, severe pruning annually after flowering to maintain form and keep under control (Grant and Grant, 1867).

Seed and Cutting Propagation Techniques

n/a

Additional Information and Photos

For more information and pictures, visit the E-Flora BC website at www.eflora.bc.ca.