Roundleaf Buffaloberry
Shepherdia rotundifolia
- Native to:
- United States
Matt Lavin (www.flickr.com) from Bozeman, Montana, USA
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Elaeagnaceae
- Genus:
- Shepherdia
- Species:
- Shepherdia rotundifolia
- USDA Symbol:
- SHRO
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire; adapted to fire-prone pinyon-juniper and desert scrub ecosystems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 7.0 - 8.5 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to arid, rocky regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seed coat is hard; scarification followed by cold stratification improves germination. Germination can be erratic.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are stratified naturally by planting them in the fall in a thin layer of sand on mulched field beds.
Establishment: Seeds are wild collected during fall months and are kept separated according to site, elevation and source. The fruit of Shepherdia rotundifolia is a fleshy berry. The plant is found in Juniper-pinyon woodlands of the Colorado plateau of central and southern Utah and northern Arizona.
Source: npn.rngr.net