Name:
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- Shepherdia, from the Latin
- canadensis, from the Latin, "of Canada"
- Common Name, from
- Other common names include: Buffaloberry, Canadian Buffaloberry, Russet
Red Buffaloberry, Soapberry, Soopolallie
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Taxonomy:
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- Kingdom Plantae, the Plants
- Division Magnoliophyta, the Angiosperms (flowering plants)
- Class Magnoliopsida, the Dicotyledons
- Subclass Rosidae, the Roses
- Order Elaeagnaceae, the Olives
- Family Rhamnaceae, the Buckthorns
- Genus Shepherdia, the Buffaloberries
- Taxonomic Serial Number: 27779
- Also known as Elaeagnus canadensis, Lepargyrea canadensis
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Identification:
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Description:
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- A native, deciduous, nitrogen-fixing shrub, 3'-13' tall.
- Roots have been variously reported as rhizomatous with relatively
deep underground parts, fibrous and shallow, and a taproot with no rhizomes.
- Dioecious, but occasionally monoecious.
- Fruits drupelike, ovoid achenes enveloped in a fleshy perianth
which turns yellowish red to bright red when ripe. [Photo]
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Distribution:
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- Nova Scotia to western New York and northern Ohio, west to the Black Hills
and Alaska, avoiding most of the Great Basin. From Alaska in the Rocky
Mountains south to Arizona and New Mexico and east across northern Canada
to Newfoundland.
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Habitat:
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- Generally sandy, gravelly, or rocky soils; is able to thrive on nutrient
poor soils due to its nitrogen fixing ability.
- Grows on shores, riverbanks, dry slopes, moist north slopes, open rocky
woods, and occasionally in calcareous marshes. It forms dense thickets
along riparian zones and valley bottoms.
- As succession moves from immature forest to old-growth forest there is
a significant decrease in cover.
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Fire:
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- Survives fire by sprouting from surviving root crowns and establishment
from seed transported from off-site.
- As fire suppression culminates in closed canopy, old growth forests, fire
generally increases density and vigor.
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Associates:
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- Trees:
- Shrubs:
- Herbs:
- Ground Covers:
- Mammals: Browsed by snowshoe hares; black bears and grouse feed
on fruits in the fall.
- Birds:
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History:
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- Native Americans either pressed the berries into cakes, which were smoked
and eaten, or mixed them with water and beat them to make a frothy dessert.
- The Salish and Kootenai boiled debarked branches and used the solution
as an eyewash.
- The Sioux boiled the roots, strained them through cloth and used the tea
to cure diarrhea.
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Uses:
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Reproduction:
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- Sexual: Seed production begins at 4-6 years of age, with good seed
crops annually. The small, hard seed shows poor, highly erratic, or delayed
germintation. Cold stratification for a minimum of 60 days appears to be
a requirement for embryo development. Sulfuric acid scarification for 20-30
minutes results in 72%-80% germination. Seed dispersal by animals and gravity.
- Vegetative: Sprouts arise from both surviving root crowns and dormant
buds on the taproot. However, Russet Buffaloberry is not very aggressive
in terms of regeneration.
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Propagation:
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- Vegetative propagation best accomplished using root cuttings. Stem cuttings
have not been successful. Transplanting containerized material has been
successful.
- Seeds are very susceptible to greenhouse pathogens and have limited germination
ability. Direct planting of scarified seeds may be successful.
- Formation of short suckers allows a gradual increase in the size of the
planting.
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Cultivation:
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- Occasionally grown for ornamental use.
- Available from specialty suppliers by mail order.
- Desirable for revegetating disturbed sites because it is native, provides
food and cover for wildlife, and is a nitrogen-fixing plant. Its nitrogen-fixing
ability allows it to grow in soils with low amounts of mineral nitrogen,
which are common in disturbed areas. It also enhances the growth of associated
species by producing "an island of fertility" around its perimeter.
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Links:
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Last updated on 9 August 1999
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