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Silver Buffaloberry is a species in the Elaeaginaceae (Oleaster) family, an unusual group having only one genus with two species in California. Buffaloberry is native to central North America from southern Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) south in the United States to northern California and New Mexico. In California it is found in two disjunct populations, east of the Sierras in Inyo, Mono and Alpine Counties, and in the Transverse Range. It is typically found in wetlands within desert environments. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 2-6 meter tall. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs (rarely alternately arranged), 2-6 centimeter long, oval with a rounded tip, green with a covering of fine silvery, silky hairs, more thickly silvery below than above. The flowers are pale yellow, with four sepals and no petals. The fruit is a bright red fleshy drupe 5 millimeters in diameter; it is edible but with a rather bitter taste, best left to the birds.
Shrub
7 - 20 ft Tall
15 ft Wide
Upright
Fast
Winter Deciduous
Yellow, Red
Spring
Bank stabilization, Hedge
Full Sun
Low, Very Low
Max 1x / week once established
Tolerates cold to -25° F
Fast, Medium, Slow
Tolerant of a variety of soils as long as sufficient moisture is provided.
Soil PH: 7.0 - 8.0
For propagating by seed: Stratify 2-3 mos. (USDA Forest Service 1974); or soak in concentrated H2S04 20-30 mins. (Heit 1971). No treatment may also give satisfactory germination.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Stream edges and slopes in arid places
Northern Juniper Woodland, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Sagebrush Scrub
Butterflies and moths supported
2 confirmed and 7 likely
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Hyalophora euryalus
Glover's Silkmoth
Hyalophora gloveri
Rusty Shoulder Knot Moth
Aseptis binotata
Salt-and-Pepper Geometer
Biston betularia