Buffaloberry Shrub

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Shepherdia is dioecious and called bullberry or buffaloberry (a genus of shrubs in the
Elaeagnaceae family). The plants are native to northern and western North America. Also called
sakakawea silver buffaloberry is with silvery, oblong leaves and predominantly red fruit and is winter
hardy, drought and alkali tolerant, and is recommended for conservation use in multi-row farmstead
and field windbreaks, wildlife habitat. Native Americans worked mostly with the Russet Buffaloberry.

Introduction

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:

Zones 3 to 9. If you can offer it some protection, it may be able to grow in Zone 2 also. Sakakawea is winter hardy down to -40ºF. Mean survival ranges from 60 to 95 percent under field conditions. Buffaloberry reaches a mature height of 12 to 16 feet in 15 to 20 years. Crown width is 16 to19 feet. Sakakawea spreads by sucker growth and can form a dense thicket. It fixes nitrogen via root nodules. Branches are spiny and have gray-brown bark. The leaves are opposite, simple, and oblong. They are 1 to 2 inches long and ¼ to ⅜ inch wide. Both surfaces are covered with silvery scales, and side veins are indistinct. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Propagation is by germinating the seeds after a period of stratification (cold storage) or by rooting cuttings. Scarifying the seeds can also aid in improving germination rates. The shrub will also naturally clone itself.

Optimal Soil Conditions:

For spring planting, stratify the seed for 90 days in damp sand at 41º F. Sakakawea is highly recommended for revegetation of surface mined lands, transportation and transmission corridors, flood plains, and other disturbed areas as well. It performs well on a variety of soils that are deep or moderately deep, well to somewhat poorly drained, and fine to moderately fine textured. Sakakawea is tolerant of moderately saline and high pH soils. Soil pH – 5.5 to 8.0. Adapted to moderately alkaline and saline soils. Needs full sun.

Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:

Seed production is good to excellent in most years. Seed can be planted in fall or spring. For spring planting, stratify the seed for 90 days in damp sand at41º F. (Cultivate the site and keep it fallow for at least 1 year before planting seedlings.) Plant the seedlings in spring as soon as the ground thaws, when soil moisture is high. Recommended spacing in the row is 3 to 4 feet. Use 2-year-old seedlings that are 12 to 24 inches tall and have a stem diameter of 3/16 to 1/2 inch just above the root collar. One-year-old seedlings that reach this height and diameter are also suitable. If planting by seed, do 30 to 50 seeds per linear foot of row, and cover with ¼ inch of soil.

Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:

Frequently found in conifer / pine forests.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Moisture Requirements & Solutions:

Drought tolerant. Not adapted to wet, poorly-drained sites. Its water-seeking roots can draw down the water table in dry areas. Once established, no fertilizer or water needed.

Weeding Needs & Solutions:

Establishment and rate of growth are affected by weed competition,shade, drought, and adverse soil conditions. Control weeds for 5 or 6 years.

Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:

Pests, Diseases & Solutions:

It has no apparent insect problems. Common diseases include stem decay and branch canker. Deer commonly browse the twigs and leaves and bears favor the berries. Stems are sometimes broken by snow.

When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:

The dry, thin-walled fruit ripens in September and October and is ⅛ to ¼ inch in diameter. The fruit is predominantly red, but 12 to 20 percent of female plants produce yellow fruit. The shrubs begin producing fruit in 3 or 4 years.

How to Harvest:

Mature fruit can be collected in September and processed by wet maceration. (Good late winter food source for birds). Harvest the berries after they ripen in the fall. Place a tarpor mat below the berries and shake the branch, only the ripest berries will fall and this will allow the other berries to continue ripening.

Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:

They are edible and can be eaten fresh or dried. They are quite tart, though they will sweeten up a bit if they are hit with frost. These fruits can be used in a variety of recipes like jams, jellies, and sauces. Buffaloberries may be whisked into a foamy froth and then combined with copious amounts of sugar to make Indian ice cream, which is a highly sought-after treat that is still popular today.

Optimal Preserving Procedures:

Seed Saving:

Mature stands of buffaloberry can be rejuvenated by late winter coppicing (removal of all top growth leaving 2 to 4-inch stumps). Regrowth usually exceeds 50 percent of pre-coppiced height within one. Store the seed under cool, dry conditions.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

For seed or plant increase: For the purpose of establishing a seed orchard, limited quantities of seed may be available from the NRCS Plant Materials Center. Urban/Recreational Ornamental foliage and fruit, but limited in use because of thorns and suckering habit. CAUTION: Advised to not eat too many buffaloberries in any form for chance of diarrhea or death.

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