(Sheperdia argentea)
Another native plant with nitrogen fixing compatibilities is the Silver Buffaloberry. This attractive, thicket forming shrub has silver-gray foliage and small yellow flowers, which turn into bright red berries. The American Indians had various uses for the fruit, both culinary and medicinal. In the early 1800's the famous Lewis and Clark expedition through the American west kept extensive notes of many native plants they encountered. Of the Silver Buffaloberry they wrote "it is a pleasant berry to eat, with the flavour of cranberry." It is now known that they are very high in antioxidants and numerous nutrients, but are rather tart when raw. Multiple uses for this tough, somewhat thorny bush include shelter belts, windbreaks, erosion control, barrier planting, difficult or despoiled site reclamation as well as wildlife habitat and songbird nesting sites. Mature height can vary from 2 to 5m (6-18').

PLANT SEVERAL FOR POLLINATION | ZONE 2 | HARVEST: AFTER FROST