Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rhamnaceae

Genus:

Frangula

Species:

Frangula betulifolia

USDA Symbol:

FRBE2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

400 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

green, yellow

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; found in fire-prone canyon and mountain habitats.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to mountainous regions with rocky substrates

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds benefit from cold stratification; may show erratic germination without pretreatment.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI