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Chapter 5:  Cultivars and Species for Use in Alaska

Released for Commercial Seed Production

Wheatgrass, Thickspike
Solomon Germplasm thickspike wheatgrass (pdf file)
Elymus macrourus
(synonym Agropyron macrourum), Selected Class “Natural”

Solomon Germplasm thickspike wheatgrass is a Selected Class release developed by the PMC and released in 2006 (Wright, 2006).  This grass species is fairly common in Alaska.  It naturally occupies dry mineral soils and gravelly sites.  Solomon was collected east of Nome, Alaska, near the Solomon Roadhouse.

Solomon Germplasm thickspike wheatgrass
Figure 48:  Solomon Germplasm thickspike wheatgrass

Wheatgrass, Tufted
Slana Germplasm tufted wheatgrass (pdf file)
Elymus macrourus
, Selected Class “Natural”

Slana Germplasm tufted wheatgrass was released as a Selected Class in 2007 (Wright, 2007).  As with most wheatgrass species, this accession does best on gravel soils in dry conditions and is recommended for revegetation in Interior Alaska.  This accession can be interchanged with the other Alaska releases of wheatgrass in the Interior region.  It was collected in 1995 near the settlement of Slana.  

Slana Germplasm tufted wheatgrass
Figure 114:  Slana Germplasm tufted wheatgrass

Wildrye, Downy
Cantwell Germplasm downy wildrye (pdf file)
Leymus innovatus
, Selected Class “Natural”

Cantwell Germplasm downy wildrye is a 2007 pre-certified Selected Class release (Wright, 2007).  This accession was collected near Cantwell on a dry, gravelly site and is useful on revegetation projects in Interior Alaska.  Its true value shows when used for revegetation on dry mine sites and south-facing cut and fill slopes.

Cantwell Germplasm downy wildrye
Figure 101:  Cantwell Germplasm downy wildrye

Yarrow, Boreal
Twenty Mile Germplasm boreal yarrow (pdf file)
Achillea millefolium var. borealis
, Selected Class “Natural”

Twenty Mile boreal yarrow is a 2006 Selected Class Germplasm release derived from parent material collected near Portage, Alaska, in 1994 (Wright, 2006).  This is a coastal collection and does well in coastal settings, but has sufficient adaptability to be useful in inland areas also.  Yarrow, like the parsley family species, has the ability to create the appearance of a natural meadow stand in reseeded areas; the presence of the white/cream flowers breaks up the usual homogeneity of grass plantings.

Twenty Mile Germplasm boreal yarrow
Figure 53:  Twenty Mile Germplasm boreal yarrow

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