United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Plant Materials Program Go to Accessibility Information
Skip to Page Content
 Native grasses

 

 

 

 

Lockeford Plant Materials Center

Lockeford, California

Lockeford Plant Materials CenterEstablished 1939

The Lockeford Plant Materials Center (CAPMC) was established in Pleasanton, California, and relocated to Lockeford in 1973. The Center provides plant solutions for the diverse Californian landscape. The CAPMC serves the Mediterranean climate portions of California. This area is uniquely characterized by its six-month summer dry season and six-month winter rainy season.

The service area has a complex topography composed of broad valleys, rolling foot-hills, upland plateaus, and rugged mountains. Agriculture in the service area is extremely diversified, including fruits and vegetables, extensive livestock production from native rangeland, and timber production.

The CAPMC was created to develop plants and to test their performance under a variety of soil, climatic, and use conditions. Since its inception, more than 30 plants have been developed for commercial seed production. These include purple needlegrass, California brome, blue wildrye, sulfur flower buckwheat, inland saltgrass, and fourwing saltbush.

The Lockeford Plant Materials Center provides technology for propagating native plants, rehabilitating and reclaiming disturbed lands, landscaping with fire resistant plants, and using vegetative controls for noxious weeds.

Contact

PO Box 68/ 21001 N. Elliott Rd
Lockeford, CA 95237

Telephone: 209.727.5319
FAX: 209.727.5923
Email: Margaret.Smither-Kopperl@ca.usda.gov