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Chapter 5:  Cultivars and Species for Use in Alaska

Commercially Available Species and Cultivars

Wheatgrass, Slender
Wainwright Germplasm slender wheatgrass (pdf file)
Elymus trachycaulus
(synonym Agropyron pauciflorum), Selected Class “Natural”

Wainwright is a dryland species originally collected on a gunnery range at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska.  This species was selected because of its natural adaptability to colonize dry rocky/gravelly soil. It has become the largest commercially produced perennial grass in Alaska both in volume and in the number of producers. This Selected Class release was the first attempt by the PMC to develop a pre-certified category of seed for use in Alaska.

Wainwright Germplasm slender wheatgrass
Figure 54:  Wainwright Germplasm slender wheatgrass

Wildrye, Beach
‘Benson’ beach wildrye (pdf file)
Elymus mollis
(synonym Leymus mollis), Cultivar

‘Benson’ is a cultivar of native species released by the Alaska Plant Materials Center in 1991 (Wright, 1994b).  ‘Benson’ is available only from vegetative cuttings (sprigs).  Seed will not be available.  ‘Benson’ was selected for use in sandy areas of high erosion potential.  Revegetation with sprigs is a preferred method of revegetating highly erodible areas (Wright, 1994c).

‘Benson’ looks similar to ‘Reeve’.

Wildrye, Beach
‘Reeve’ beach wildrye (pdf file)
Elymus arenarius
(synonym Leymus arenarius), Cultivar

'Reeve' beach wildrye is a 1991 release of the Alaska Plant Materials Center.  The cultivar has high potential in coastal restoration, especially in the foredunes and other sandy sites throughout coastal and insular Alaska (Wright, 1994a).  Unlike ‘Benson’ this cultivar is available as seed.

‘Reeve’ beach wildrye
Figure 39:  ‘Reeve’ beach wildrye was a 1991 release by the Alaska Plant Materials Center. This cultivar, unlike the native collection ‘Benson’ beach wildrye, was released for seed production.

Wormwood, Tilesius’
‘Caiggluk’ Tilesius’ wormwood (pdf file)
Artemisia tilesii
, Cultivar

‘Caiggluk’ Tilesius’ wormwood was developed and released by the Alaska Plant Materials Center in 1989 as a reclamation species.  This forb has a wide range of adaptations throughout Alaska (Wright, 1992).

‘Caiggluk’ Tilesius’ wormwood, Artemisia tilesii
Figure 37:  ‘Caiggluk’ Tilesius’ wormwood, Artemisia tilesii, is a cultivar developed by the PMC. This broadleaf has a wide range of adaptability throughout Alaska.

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