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Common Names

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silver buffaloberry
buffaloberry
thorny buffaloberry
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Cover Value

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More info for the term: cover

Silver buffaloberry cover values are rated as follows [10,28]:

UT CO WY MT ND

elk fair ---- poor good ----
mule deer fair fair good good good
white-tailed deer good fair good good good
pronghorn fair ---- poor ---- fair
upland game birds good ---- good good good
waterfowl fair ---- poor ---- ----
small nongame birds good ---- good good good
small mammals ---- ---- good fair ----

In the northern Great Plains, silver buffaloberry provides nesting cover
for sharp-tailed grouse and many species of passerine birds [15,17,26].
In Montana the distribution of sharp-tailed grouse increases in areas
containing high densities (10-15% canopy cover) of silver buffaloberry
[59].

In Montana silver buffaloberry provides thermal and hiding cover for
livestock, upland game birds, small mammals, and big game [28]. In
North Dakota silver buffaloberry provides bedding sites for mule deer
[39].
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Description

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More info for the terms: fruit, shrub, shrubs, tree

Silver buffaloberry is a native, deciduous, thicket-forming small tree
or large shrub with spreading to ascending thorny aboverground branches
and belowground rhizomes [47,32,87,85]. It grows from 3.3 to 20 feet
(1-6 m) tall [25,33,41,54]. Leaves are 0.8 to 2.0 inches (2-5 cm) long
and 0.28 to 0.4 inch (7-10 mm) wide [25,71]. The drupelike, ovoid fruit
is 0.16 to 0.24 inch (4-6 mm) long [36,47] and is one seeded [71]. In
western North Dakota, rooting patterns of 323 silver buffaloberry shrubs
were examined. On 12-year-old silver buffaloberry shrubs that were 12
feet (3.6 m) tall, 97 percent of the total roots were found in the first
4 feet (1.2 m) of soil. The longest root was 22 feet (6.6 m) long. The
maximum depth of root penetration was 5.8 feet (1.74 m). Silver buffaloberry has thin, exfoliating bark with shallow furrows and
flat-topped ridges [71].

A study on relatively undisturbed sites in North Dakota showed that
silver buffaloberry stems were 1 to 32 years old, with an average age of
7.62 years [39].
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Distribution

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Silver buffaloberry occurs from British Columbia east to Manitoba and
south to California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma [25,44,47,71,87].
Small populations occur in western Minnesota and northwestern Iowa
[25,39]. Silver buffaloberry is most commonly found in the northern
Great Plains [25,44].



Distribution of silver buffaloberry. 1976 USDA, Forest Service map digitized by Thompson and others [89].

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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Fire Ecology

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More info for the terms: root crown, shrubs

Silver buffaloberry has fair tolerance to fire in the dormant state and
sprouts from rhizomes following fire [28,85]. In North Dakota the
green ash/chokecherry and boxelder/chokecherry habitat types, in which
silver buffaloberry is common, are adapted to fire. When main trunks of
most shrubs and trees in these habitat types are damaged by fire, the
plants sprout from the root crown [30].
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Fire Management Considerations

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More info for the terms: prescribed fire, shrub, shrubs

Uses of fire specifically for managing silver buffaloberry are not
described in the literature. In the northern Great Plains prescribed
fire may be useful for opening up shrub thickets or triggering sprout
reproduction of remnant shrubs in failing stands [65].
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)

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More info for the term: phanerophyte

Phanerophyte
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat characteristics

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Silver buffaloberry occurs in riparian areas such as wet meadows,
floodplains, terraces, and along streams, rivers, lakes, springs, and
ponds [8,32,25,30,39].

Silver buffaloberry grows best on moist to semiwet soils with good
drainage [28,70], but will grow in semishaded areas and on dry, exposed
hillsides [28,35,71,85,87]. It grows best on loam and sandy loam soils,
but occurs on clay, clay loam, and gravelly substrates as well
[8,17,28,70]. Silver buffaloberry is tolerant of poorly drained soils
and some flooding, but is intolerant of prolonged flooding and
permanently high water tables [28].

Elevations for silver buffaloberry are as follows:

feet meters

Arizona 5,000 1,500 [42]
California 3,300-6,600 1,000-2,000 [36]
Colorado 3,800-7,500 1,140-2,250 [10]
Montana 3,500-7,000 1,050-2,100 [10]
New Mexico 3,000-7,000 900-2,100 [39]
Nevada 3,500-6,500 1,050-1,950 [70]
Utah 5,000-7,000 1,500-2,100 [10]
Wyoming 3,500-7,000 1,050-2,100 [10]
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Cover Types

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This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

63 Cottonwood
217 Aspen
220 Rocky Mountain juniper
235 Cottonwood-willow
236 Bur oak
237 Interior ponderosa pine
239 Pinyon-juniper
247 Jeffrey pine
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Ecosystem

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This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

More info for the term: shrub

FRES17 Elm-ash-cottonwood
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES29 Sagebrush
FRES34 Chaparral-mountain shrub
FRES35 Pinyon-juniper
FRES37 Mountain meadows
FRES38 Plains grasslands
FRES39 Prairie
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Plant Associations

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This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the terms: forest, woodland

K011 Western ponderosa forest
K016 Eastern ponderosa forest
K017 Black Hills pine forest
K023 Juniper-pinyon woodland
K037 Mountain-mahogany-oak scrub
K038 Great Basin sagebrush
K056 Wheatgrass-needlegrass shrubsteppe
K064 Grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass
K066 Wheatgrass-needlegrass
K067 Wheatgrass-bluestem-needlegrass
K069 Bluestem-grama prairie
K074 Bluestem prairie
K081 Oak savanna
K098 Northern floodplain forest
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Habitat: Rangeland Cover Types

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This species is known to occur in association with the following Rangeland Cover Types (as classified by the Society for Range Management, SRM):

More info for the term: woodland

203 Riparian woodland
210 Bitterbrush
310 Needle-and-thread-blue grama
401 Basin big sagebrush
408 Other sagebrush types
411 Aspen woodland
412 Juniper-pinyon woodland
421 Chokecherry-serviceberry-rose
422 Riparian
601 Bluestem prairie
606 Wheatgrass-bluestem-needlegrass
607 Wheatgrass-needlegrass
608 Wheatgrass-grama-needlegrass
612 Sagebrush-grass
615 Wheatgrass-saltgrass-grama
704 Blue grama-western wheatgrass
706 Blue grama-sideoats grama
709 Bluestem-grama
710 Bluestem prairie
714 Grama-bluestem
735 Sideoats grama-sumac-juniper
805 Riparian
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Immediate Effect of Fire

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Silver buffaloberry is probably killed by severe fires. In the northern
Great Plains, silver buffaloberry abundance was greatly reduced by "hot"
fires in early August [37].
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Importance to Livestock and Wildlife

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More info for the term: fruit

Silver buffaloberry is a valuable forage species for mule deer,
pronghorn, and grizzly bear [11,54,75,86]. It is browsed by mule deer
in Montana and constituted 15 percent of mule deer summer diets in 1969
[11]. In North Dakota silver buffaloberry is an important browse
species in mule deer winter diets [39]. In the northern Great Basin,
deer and elk browse silver buffaloberry [54].

In Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota, silver buffaloberry fruits
are eaten by sharp-tailed grouse, cedar waxwings, other passerine
species, and small mammals [14,41,44,76]. In the northern Great Plains,
the fruit of silver buffaloberry provides the best native winter food
source for sharp-tailed grouse [15,44]. In Montana sharp-tailed grouse
feed primarily on silver buffaloberry buds in the winter [76].

Silver buffaloberry is nearly worthless as livestock forage due to its
thornlike twigs [39,41]. In Utah cattle and sheep make limited use of
silver buffaloberry [41]. In the northern Great Basin, silver
buffaloberry is fair forage for sheep [54]. Forage production under
dense, thorny, monotypic stands of silver buffaloberry is low; as stands
open up, forage production increases due to invasion by Kentucky
bluegrass [28].
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Key Plant Community Associations

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More info for the terms: association, habitat type, shrub, shrubland, woodland

Silver buffaloberry occurs in a variety of habitats including woodland,
pinyon (Pinus spp.)-juniper (Juniperus spp.), shortgrass prairie,
mixed-grass prairie, shrubland, sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), and riparian
[2,4,11,33,39].

Silver buffaloberry occurs in seral communities throughout the
Intermountain region. It is a riverine floodplain shrub in narrowleaf
cottonwood (Populus angustifolia), black cottonwood (P. trichocarpa),
and willow (Salix spp.) communities of California, Colorado, and Nevada
[2,43,74]. In Colorado silver buffaloberry occurs in a narrowleaf
cottonwood/strapleaf willow (S. ligulifolia)-silver buffaloberry
association [2]. In North Dakota silver buffaloberry is a member of
the quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)/water birch (Betula
occidentalis) habitat type [29].

In eastern Montana and western North and South Dakota, silver
buffaloberry is an important species in woodland and riparian draws
dominated by green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) [5,12,28,29,55]. Some
common habitat types include green ash, green ash/chokecherry (Prunus
virginiana), and green ash/western snowberry (Symphoricarpos
occidentalis) [5,28,29,37]. In western Montana a silver buffaloberry
community type has been described; western snowberry may form dense
ecotonal thickets around silver buffaloberry stands [28].

Silver buffaloberry is an important species in native shortgrass and
mixed-grass prairies of the northern Great Plains. In North Dakota
silver buffaloberry is commonly found in shrub-grassland communities
dominated by western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), needlegrass (Stipa
spp.), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), and little bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium) [17,45,75]. Silver buffaloberry occurs in
little bluestem-threadleaf sedge (Carex filifolia) and creeping
juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)/little bluestem habitat types [28,29].

In the Black Hills silver buffaloberry occurs in a bur oak (Quercus
macrocarpa)/skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata) association [34]. In North
Dakota silver buffaloberry is the dominant shrub in the little Missouri
River Badlands [39].

The following publication lists silver buffaloberry as a community
dominant:

The vegetation of the Grand River/Cedar River, Sioux, and Ashland
Districts of the Custer National Forest: a habitat type classification
[28]

Species not previously mentioned but commonly associated with silver
buffaloberry include plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides), American elm
(Ulmus americana), thinleaf alder (Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia),
boxelder (Acer negundo), American plum (Prunus americana), hackberry
(Celtis occidentalis), red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea), Wood's rose
(Rosa woodsii), Arkansas rose (R. arkansana), Saskatoon serviceberry
(Amelanchier alnifolia), basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp.
tridentata), fringed sage (A. frigida), shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla
fruticosa), rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseous), black
greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus), sideoats grama (Bouteloua
curtipendula), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii var. gerardii),
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratense), plains muhly (Muhlenbergia
cuspidata), field horsetail (Equisetum arvense), Canada wildrye (Elymus
canadensis), yellow sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis), white
sweetclover (M. alba), and starry Solomon-seal (Smilacina stellata)
[2,4,6,28,45,73].
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Life Form

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More info for the terms: shrub, tree

Tree, Shrub
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Management considerations

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More info for the terms: cover, density, root crown

In the Black Hills silver buffaloberry has strong browsing resistance,
aided by thorny branches and the ability to sprout from the root crown
[85]. In Nevada silver buffaloberry decreases with grazing [43]. In
the Badlands of North Dakota, three green ash draws exposed to different
grazing intensities were selected to determine the effects of browsing
on silver buffaloberry height. The mean height of silver buffaloberry
on the lightly browsed, moderately browsed, and heavily browsed sites
was 8.2 feet (2.49 m), 7.1 feet (2.17 m), and 7.3 feet (2.21 m),
respectively. Both shrub- and tree-height silver buffaloberry had
highest density and percent cover on moderately browsed sites [8].

Silver buffaloberry fixes nitrogen [77].

Silver buffaloberry is susceptible to leaf spot, white heart rot, and
insect parasites [21,44,61]. White heart rot can lead to brittle wood
and subsequent breakage of branches by wind and snow [21]. Rodents may
harvest planted seeds and girdle young plants [85].

Silver buffaloberry is difficult to transplant from its native habitat
[39]. For field transplanting, root cuttings will give best results
[52]. At the Woodward Field Station in Oklahoma, 9-year-old silver
buffaloberry transplants were 9 feet (2.7 m) tall and similar in spread
to plants growing in native ranges, but were less vigorous [40].

In silver buffaloberry stands trails are established by livestock and
deer which may open the stands to invasion by weedy species [28].
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Nutritional Value

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More info for the term: fruit

Silver buffaloberry nutritional values are rated as follows [10]:

UT CO WY MT ND

elk fair fair fair ---- ----
mule deer fair ---- good good good
white-tailed deer ---- ---- fair fair poor
pronghorn fair ---- poor poor fair
upland game birds good ---- fair fair good
waterfowl fair ---- poor ---- ----
small nongame birds good good fair fair good
small mammals good ---- fair fair ----

Energy rating is fair and protein content is poor [31]; however,
Erickson [13] stated that the protein content of silver buffaloberry is
sufficient to meet maintenance requirements of sheep and cattle during
the growing season. Silver buffaloberry fruit gross energy is
4.937 kcal/gram oven-dry matter and crude protein is 8.4 percent of
oven-dry matter [14].
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Occurrence in North America

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AZ CA CO ID IA KS MN MT NE NV
NM ND OK OR SD UT WA WY AB BC
MB SK
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Other uses and values

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More info for the term: fruit

Plains Indians and pioneers preserved the fruit of silver buffaloberry
and made a sauce from the berries that was eaten with bison meat
[28,36,39,41,68]. Today the fruit is used to make pies, jams, and
jellies [41,39,68].

Silver buffaloberry is planted as an ornamental [36,70].
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Palatability

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Palatability ratings for silver buffaloberry are as follows [10,85]:

CO MT ND UT WY

cattle poor poor poor poor poor
sheep poor fair fair fair fair
horses poor poor poor poor poor
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Phenology

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More info for the terms: fruit, seed

Silver buffaloberry flowering dates are as follows:

California Apr-May [89]
Colorado Apr-Aug [10]
Great Plains May-Jun [25]
Montana Apr-Jun [77]
Nevada Apr-May [70]
North Dakota Apr-May [10]
Utah Apr-May [10]
Wyoming May-July [10]
Saskatchewan late Apr [33]

Fruit ripening occurs from July to September in the Great Plains, July
to August in Nevada, June to August in Montana, and in early August in
Saskatchewan [25,70,71,77]. Seed dispersal occurs from June to December
in Montana [77].
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Plant Response to Fire

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More info for the terms: cover, forest, root crown

Silver buffaloberry sprouts from the root crown and rhizomes following
fire [24,28,85]. Varying responses to fire have been reported. In
northern mixed-grass prairies, silver buffaloberry percent cover decreased
after spring and summer fires [45].

A 5 acre (2 ha) fire occurred in a plains cottonwood forest in Dinosaur
Park, Alberta, in August 1989. In July 1990, average percent canopy
cover of silver buffaloberry on burned and unburned sites was 0.0 and
0.3, respectively [53].

In North Dakota an October 1976 fire burned mixed-prairie and wooded
draw plant communities. Average densities (stems/sq m) of silver
buffaloberry within wooded draw transects in the summers of 1977 and
1978 were as follows [88]:

1977 1978

lower draw-burned 0.5 1.2
upper draw-burned 1.5 1.9
unburned --- 0.6
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Post-fire Regeneration

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More info for the terms: root crown, shrub

Tall shrub, adventitious-bud root crown
Small shrub, adventitious-bud root crown
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regeneration Processes

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More info for the terms: root crown, seed, shrubs, stratification

Sexual: Seed production begins at 4 to 6 years of age, with good seed
crops generally produced every 3 to 4 years [77]. The small, hard seed
shows poor and erratic germination. The embryo is dormant; cold
stratification at 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 deg C) for 60 to 90 days will
increase germination [66,68,77]. Seed can be stored under cold, dry
conditions in the laboratory for 11 to 15 years and retain viability
[66]. Silver buffaloberry seed with a moisture content of 13.1 percent
showed 97 percent germination after 3.5 years of storage at 41 degrees
Fahrenheit (5 deg C) [77]. Seed is disseminated primarily by animals
[77].

Vegetative: Silver buffaloberry sprouts originate from a complex
network of underground stems and rootstocks [28,39,85]. It also sprouts
from the root crown [29]. Shrubs are interconnected for distances of up
to 20 feet (6 m). In western North Dakota no seedlings were found in
323 silver buffaloberry shrubs examined [39].
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Regional Distribution in the Western United States

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This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

2 Cascade Mountains
3 Southern Pacific Border
4 Sierra Mountains
5 Columbia Plateau
6 Upper Basin and Range
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
10 Wyoming Basin
11 Southern Rocky Mountains
12 Colorado Plateau
13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont
14 Great Plains
15 Black Hills Uplift
16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands
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Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Successional Status

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More info for the terms: climax, shrub, shrubs, tree

Silver buffaloberry occurs in seral and climax communities. It is
generally shade intolerant, but grows in some shaded areas such as
semiwooded draws [29,36,85]. In New Mexico silver buffaloberry is an
obligate riparian species [9]. In North Dakota silver buffaloberry is
a pioneer species that invades grasslands [39]; it also occurs on older
portions of streams [55]. Silver buffaloberry is a highly competitive
species except with taller woody plants such as green ash [28,85].

In the northern Great Plains, silver buffaloberry forms dense, nearly
impenetrable thickets, often exceeding 6.6 feet (2 m) [28]. Where
there is abundant moisture and deep fertile soil, silver buffaloberry
may reach tree height; where conditions are severe, silver buffaloberry
persists as a low or medium shrub [57].

In California silver buffaloberry trees have suffered much crown
dieback as a result of water diversion; many of the damaged shrubs are
now regenerating from sprouts and seeds [73].
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Taxonomy

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The currently accepted scientific name of silver buffaloberry is
Shepherdia argentea (Pursh.) Nutt. (Elaeagnaceae) [36,47,71,87]. There
are no recognized infrataxa.
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bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Value for rehabilitation of disturbed sites

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More info for the terms: reclamation, restoration

Silver buffaloberry adapts well to disturbed or degraded sites in the
Intermountain region [36,58]. It is used for multiple-row windbreaks,
shelterbelts, erosion control, wildlife habitat enhancement, and land
reclamation [36,44,77,85]. Nursery-grown stock readily establishes on
disturbed sites and once established, silver buffaloberry is a good soil
stabilizer [29]. Silver buffaloberry is used for erosion control in
riparian areas in the Intermountain region [52].

In the northern Great Plains, silver buffaloberry is not recommended for
shelterbelt plantings because of high winds which may uproot plants
[21,22]. Silver buffaloberry is an actinorhizal pioneer species that is
widely planted for land reclamation in the northern Great Plains [44].
It is used for rehabilitating mine spoils in the northern Great Plains
and Utah [4,5,39,85]. Restoration of coal mine spoils increases when
trickle irrigation is used for 2 years. In North Dakota this technique
increased the survival rate of silver buffaloberry by 257 percent [5].
Dryland techniques for establishment of silver buffaloberry on bentonite
and low-salt coal spoils was moderately successful; survival rate of
silver buffaloberry at the start of the third year was 7 percent [4].
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Esser, Lora L. 1995. Shepherdia argentea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/

Shepherdia argentea

provided by wikipedia EN

Shepherdia argentea, commonly called silver buffaloberry,[2] bull berry, or thorny buffaloberry, is a species of Shepherdia in the Oleaster family.

It is native to central and western North America, from the Prairie Provinces of Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) southwards in the United States as far as Ventura County in California, as well as northern Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico.[3][4]

Description

Shepherdia argentea is a deciduous shrub growing from 2–6 metres (6.6–19.7 ft) tall. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs (rarely alternately arranged), 2–6 cm long, oval with a rounded apex, green with a covering of fine silvery, silky hairs, more thickly silvery below than above.[5]

The flowers are pale yellow, with four sepals but no petals.[5]

The fruit is a bright red fleshy drupe 5 mm in diameter; it is edible but with a rather bitter taste.[6] Two cultivars, 'Xanthocarpa' and 'Goldeneye', form yellow fruit.[5]

The Latin specific epithet argentea refers to the silver color of the plant's leaves and stems.[7]

Distribution and habitat

Shepherdia argentea is native to the western and central parts of Canada and North America.[8] It grows in many different kinds of habitats such as riparian areas, woodlands, exposed slopes on prairies, and in dry, sandy soils of plains and canyons.[7]

Ecology

The berry is one of the mainstays of the diet of the sharp-tailed grouse, the provincial bird of Saskatchewan. The foliage provides important forage for mule deer[9] and white-tailed deer.[10] The shrub's thorny branches and thicket forming habit provide a shelter for many small animal species and an ideal nesting site for songbirds.[11] Over the extent of its range, the buffaloberry is an important species in a variety of ecological communities. For example, in the shrub-grassland communities of North Dakota it is found growing with many native grasses, while in riparian woodlands of Montana and Western North Dakota it can be found in plant communities dominated by green ash.[12]

Uses

Like the Canada buffaloberry, Sheperdia argentea has been used historically as a food, medicine, and dye.[13] Its various uses including the treatment of stomach troubles and in coming-of-age ceremonies for girls.[14]

In the Great Basin, the berries were eaten raw and dried for winter use, but more often cooked into a flavoring sauce for bison meat.[15] The buffaloberry has been a staple food to some Native Americans, who ate the berries in puddings, jellies, and in raw or dried form.[16]

The Gosiute Shoshone name for the plant is añ-ka-mo-do-nûp.[17]

References

  1. ^ Tropicos, Shepherdia argentea (Pursh) Nutt.
  2. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Shepherdia argentea". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Shepherdia argentea". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  4. ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  5. ^ a b c Brand, Mark H. "Shepherdia argentea". UConn Plant Database of Trees, Shrubs, and Vines. University of Connecticut Horticulture. Archived from the original on 2013-12-06. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  6. ^ Jepson Flora: Shepherdia argentea
  7. ^ a b "Shepherdia argentea - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  8. ^ "Shepherdia argentea (Pursh) Nutt. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  9. ^ "Silver Buffaloberry" (PDF). N.D. Tree Handbook. NDSU Agriculture. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  10. ^ R.J. Mackie, R.F. Batchelor, M.E. Majerus, J.P. Weigand, and V.P. Sundberg. "Silver Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea)". Habitat Management Suggestions for Selected Wildlife Species. Montana State University, Animal and Range Sciences. Archived from the original on 2010-06-10. Retrieved 2 December 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  11. ^ "Silver Buffaloberry" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  12. ^ Esser, Lora L. "Shepherdia argentea". Fire Effects Information System. USDA Forest Service. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  13. ^ Benfer, Adam. "Buffaloberry". Foods Indigenous to the Western Hemisphere. Kansas University American Indian Health and Diet Project. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  14. ^ Burns Kraft, TF; Dey, M; Rogers, RB; Ribnicky, DM; Gipp, DM; Cefalu, WT; Raskin, I; Lila, MA (23 January 2008). "Phytochemical Composition and Metabolic Performance Enhancing Activity of Dietary Berries Traditionally Used by Native North Americans". J Agric Food Chem. 56 (3): 654–60. doi:10.1021/jf071999d. PMC 2792121. PMID 18211018.
  15. ^ William C. Sturtevant, ed. (1986). Handbook of North American Indians: Great Basin. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. ISBN 9780160045813. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  16. ^ Betty B. Derig; Margaret C. Fuller (2001). Wild Berries of the West. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company. p. 119. ISBN 0-87842-433-4.
  17. ^ Chamberlin, Ralph Vary (1911). "The Ethno-botany of the Gosiute Indians of Utah" (PDF). Memoirs of the American Anthropological Association Vol II, Part 5. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

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Shepherdia argentea: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Shepherdia argentea, commonly called silver buffaloberry, bull berry, or thorny buffaloberry, is a species of Shepherdia in the Oleaster family.

It is native to central and western North America, from the Prairie Provinces of Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) southwards in the United States as far as Ventura County in California, as well as northern Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico.

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Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
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wikipedia EN