MeADOWFOAM
Other Common Names Include:
White meadowfoam
Latin Name: Limnanthes alba Benth
Plant Family: Limnanthaceae
Close Relatives: Members of the Brassicales (mustard plants).
Uses and Markets: Meadowfoam seed oil is one of the most stable plant oils with both industrial (waxes, lubricants) and cosmetic (lotions, creams) uses.
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Annual.
Hardiness Zone
Special Notes
Meadowfoam is a low growing herbaceous plant native to northern California, southern Oregon and Vancouver Island. Meadowfoam is insect pollinated and requires 5 or more bee colonies per ha for good pollination under good weather conditions.
Propagation method
Seeds. Plant at a depth of 0.6 to 2 cm
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
N/A
Field Seeding Date:
Late spring.
Field Transplanting Dates
N/A
In-row spacing
33 to 40 kg seed/ha (~110000 seeds/kg)
Between row spacing
15 to 20 cm
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
Soil temperature must be below 12°C to prevent secondary dormancy.
Fertility
No current Ontario fertility recommendations exist. Research and recommendations from outside Ontario do not necessarily apply to Ontario growing conditions. Research from the Pacific NW indicates fertility requirements of 45 to 70 kg N/ha, 22kgP2O5/ha and 22 to 34kg/ha K2O are acceptable. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Poorly drained soils.
Soil pH
5.5 to 6
Special requirements for growth habit
Prefers cool, wet climates.
Optimal Temperature Range
17-26°C
Temperature sensitivity
Cold tolerant.
Irrigation requirements
Low tolerance to water stress. Irrigation is beneficial under normal Ontario conditions for stand establishment and flowering/seed set.
Days to harvest
When 90% of pods are mature (42% moisture) and stems are greenish yellow.
Specialized equipment
None.
Harvest
Harvest Scheduling
Single harvest.
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Machine harvest.
Quality parameters/grades
No established grades. Quality is determined by the market.
Additional Harvest Notes
Meadowfoam is swathed into windrows, then combined 7-10 days later when seed moisture is ~12% and the plants have dried to being brittle.
Post harvest
Special handling/curing
Seed may need to be passed through a debearder prior to seed cleaning.
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): Low.
Temperature: Low.
Air Exchange: N/A
Duration: >1 year
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
Unknown – limited to no production of this crop in Ontario to date.
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Meadowfoam fly (Scaptomyzas spp.)
Diseases: Botrytis cinerea* (grey mold),
Other: Weeds
*Indicates pests commonly mentioned as causing significant damage or economic loss to this crop in other regions.
Comments
Botrytis grey mold on stems, leaves and flowers has been reported as the most significant pest in other areas, particularly where high nitrogen fertilizers have created dense, lush canopies. . Weed competition can also significantly affect yield, as young plants do not compete well with weeds.
This crop is in the new (revised 2007) Crop Group 20: Oilseeds group, when grown as an oilseed. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section. Always refer to product labels, and follow all directions specified on the label, before applying any pest control product. For more information, consult an OMAFRA specialist.
None
- Ehrensing, D.T., G.D. Jolliff, J.M. Crane and R.S. Karow. 1997. Growing Meadowfoam in the Willamette Valley. Oregon State Extension Service.
- H. L. Bhardwaj, M. Rangappa and A. Hamama. 1999. Establishment of Meadowfoam as a New Crop in Virginia. In: Perspectives on new crops and new uses. J. Janick (ed). ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA.
- Oelke, E.A., E.S. Oplinger, C.V. Hanson and K.A. Kelling. 1990. Meadowfoam. In: Alternative Field Crops Manual. University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension and University of Minnesota Extension Service.
