Plant Type

Shrub

 

Height Range

6-12'

 

Flower Color

Violet

 

Flower Season

Spring

 

Leaf Color

Grey Green, Grey

 

Bark Color

Brown, Grey

 

Fruit Color

Orange, Red, Yellow

 

Fruit Season

Summer, Fall

Sun

Full

 

Water

Low

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Moist, Dry

 

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

Invasive, Thorns/Spines

Design Styles

Meadow, Ranch

 

Accenting Features

Fall Color

 

Seasonal Interest

Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Erosion Control, Hedge, Screen, Naturalizing

 

Attracts Wildlife

Birds, Hummingbirds

Silver buffaloberry is a native, deciduous, large, upright to mounding, suckering shrub that grows about 6 to 12 feet tall and nearly as wide. Spring flowers are yellow and not considered ornamental, but they are followed by clusters of berries that begin green, but ripen in August, turning yellow, orange, or bright red. Leaves are long, narrow, and silvery green with a prominent white midrib. Bark is a warm brown and older bark is furrowed. Due to its size and sucking habit, use it for erosion control, soil stabilization, or in larger naturally-styled landscapes. Well suited to riparian corridor areas. A Utah native.

Grow in full sun and well drained soil. Tolerates a range of soil types, and withstands moist or dry soils and is pH adaptive, growing in soils up to 8.0. It is frequently confused with Russian Olive, an invasive species: buffalo berry flowers occur in clusters (russian olive's flowers occur along the stems length); buffaloberry's fruit is green, turning yellow to red (russian olive's fruit is green to buff); buffaloberry leaves and branches are opposite (russian olive's leaves and branches are alternate). Fruit is edible, though tart until a couple of frosts, but robins, sparrows, grosbeaks and others won't wait that long. If you are pruning or working around it, be mindful of the thorns.