Achlys triphylla – vanilla leaf
Achlys is a small genus of perennial herbs in the Berberidaceae (FNA 1993+). There are 3 species in the genus, two of which are native to the Pacific Northwest including Achlys triphylla and Achlys californica (OregonFlora 2022). The two species are similar in appearance but can be distinguished by the number of lobes on the margin of the leaves with Achlys triphylla typically having 3 to 4 lobes and red-purple fruits and Achlys californica typivally having 6 to 9 lobes and brown follicles (FNA 1993+). Both species have small fruits (3 to 5 mm) that contain a single brown seed per fruit (FNA 1993+). Both species may be used as groundcovers in a wooded garden with high levels of organic matter. Trifoliate leaves emerge from underground stems in the spring which are topped by spring to summer flowers.
Seed propagation
Germination information for Achlys triphylla is scarce. Seeds are dispersed by ants (Lindh 2010). Seeds weigh 7.7 mg per seed (Lindh 2010). Fruits mature late in the season into the fall and winter. A study conducted by Lindh (2010) recorded higher germination (~30%) recorded for seeds collected in west central Oregon and sown on surface of old growth forests. There was higher germination lower in a watershed compared to higher in the watershed, indicating moisture levels may contribute to seedling germination and survival in the wild. There was no difference in seedling establishment for seeds placed in open gaps or not in open gaps. There is some evidence seeds may persist in the seed bank for at least a brief amount of time (Slagle 1992).
Cutting propagation
Plants can be propagated from rhizome divisions. Buis (1998) and Everett (2012) suggest plants are easily dug up and salvaged or placed in containers.
References
Buis 1998. Salvaging plants for propagation and revegetation. In Symposium Proceedings: Native Plants Propagating and Planting, OSU, Nursery Technology Cooperative, Department of Forest Science.
[FNA] Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 21+ vols. New York and Oxford. Vol. 1, 1993; vol. 2, 1993; vol. 3, 1997; vol. 4, 2003; vol. 5, 2005; vol. 7, 2010; vol. 8, 2009; vol. 19, 2006; vol. 20, 2006; vol. 21, 2006; vol. 22, 2000; vol. 23, 2002; vol. 24, 2007; vol. 25, 2003; vol. 26, 2002; vol. 27, 2007; vol 28, 2014; vol. 9, 2014; vol. 6, 2015; vol. 12, 2016; vol. 17, 2019. Website http://beta.floranorthamerica.org. [accessed February 2022].
Lindh. 2010. Herb establishment in a young Pseudotsuga menziesii forest: a seven-year seed addition experiment. The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 137:410-419.
OregonFlora. 2021. OregonFlora database and website. Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. Website: http://oregonflora.org [accessed March 2022].
Slagle 1992. Revegetation efforts accompany campsite rehabilitation in a Pacific Silver Fir plant community (Oregon). Ecological Restoration 10:82-84.