TECHNICAL NOTE USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service Boise, Idaho – Salt Lake City, Utah TN PLANT MATERIALS NO. 32 August 2012 REVISION NATIVE SHRUBS AND TREES FOR RIPARIAN AREAS IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST Derek Tilley, PMC Agronomist, NRCS, Aberdeen, Idaho Dan Ogle, Plant Materials Specialist, NRCS, Boise, Idaho (Ret.) Loren St. John, PMC Team Leader, NRCS, Aberdeen, Idaho J. Chris Hoag, NRCS, Aberdeen, Idaho (Ret.) Joe Scianna, PMC Manager, NRCS, Bridger, Montana A healthy riparian community. Photo by Derek Tilley This technical note describes establishment management of woody riparian trees and shrubs for riparian area stabilization and enhancement. It provides species descriptions for several woody riparian species commonly used in the Intermountain West. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE 1. RIPARIAN TREES AND SHRUBS SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE 7 INTERMOUNTAIN REGION TABLE 2. RIPARIAN WILLOWS SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN REGION 9 PLANT DATA SHEETS 10 Acer negundo Boxelder 11 Alnus rubra Red Alder 12 Alnus viridis Sitka Alder 14 Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia Thinleaf Alder 15 Betula occidentalis Water (Black) Birch 17 Cornus sericea Redosier Dogwood 18 Crataegus douglasii Black Hawthorn 19 Dasiphora fruiticosa ssp. Shrubby Cinquefoil 20 floribunda Elaeagnus commutata Silverberry 21 Philadelphus lewisii Syringa (Mockorange) 23 Populus angustifolia Narrowleaf Cottonwood 24 Populus balsamifera ssp. Black Cottonwood 26 trichocarpa Populus fremontii Fremont Cottonwood 28 Populus tremuloides Quaking Aspen 29 Prunus virginiana Chokecherry 31 Rhus trilobata Skunkbush Sumac 33 Ribes aureum Golden Currant 35 Ribes cereum Wax (Squaw) Currant 36 Rosa woodsii Wood’s Rose 37 Salix amygdaloides Peachleaf Willow 38 Salix bebbiana Bebb Willow 39 Salix Boothii Booth Willow 41 Salix drummondiana Drummond Willow 41 Salix exigua Coyote Willow 43 Salix geyeriana Geyer Willow 44 Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra Pacific Willow 44 Salix lemmonii Lemmon Willow 45 Salix lutea Yellow Willow 46 Salix planifolia Plainleaf (Diamondleaf) Willow 47 Salix prolixa Mackenzie Willow 48 Salix scouleriana Scouler Willow 49 Salix sitchensis Sitka Willow 49 Sambucus cerulea Blue Elderberry 50 Sambucus racemosa Red elderberry 52 3 Shepherdia argentea Silver Buffaloberry 54 Symphoricarpos albus Snowberry 55 APPENDIX 1 RIPARIAN ZONES AND BASIC PLANTING TECHNIQUES 58 APPENDIX 2 VENDORS LIST 62 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 4 5 Plant Selection Tables The following tables contain plant attributes which will assist you in selecting the appropriate species for your specific conservation application. Once you select the appropriate species continue to the Plant Data Sheet where you will find more in depth information about your selected species. Within each species Data Sheet there is a section which discusses available selections that may be commercially available. Use tested named selections when possible or obtain plants grown from local sources. 6 Table 1. Riparian trees and shrubs suitable for use in the Intermountain region Elevation Rooting from Riparian Planting Species Size/Form range Root type cuttings Zone Acer negundo Moderately Med. tree Low-Middle Poor Transitional Box elder spreading Alnus rubra Med. tree Middle-High Shallow spreading Poor Overbank -Transitional Red alder Alnus sinuata Sm.–med. tree Middle-High Shallow spreading Poor Bank-Overbank Sitka alder Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia Sm.–med. tree Middle-High Shallow spreading Poor Bank-Overbank Thinleaf alder Betula occidentalis Shallow to deep Lg. shrub-sm. tree Middle-High Poor Bank-Overbank Water birch spreading Cornus sericea Moderate (wounding Med. shrub Middle Shallow Bank to Transitional Redosier dogwood enhances success) Crataegus douglasii Shallow to deep Black/Douglas Sm. Tree Low-Middle Poor Overbank -Transitional spreading hawthorn Elaeagnus commutata Med. shrub Low-Middle Shallow Very good Overbank -Transitional Silverberry Pentaphylloides Shallow to deep floribunda Sm. shrub Low-Middle Poor Overbank -Transitional spreading Shrubby cinquefoil Philadelphus lewisii Sm.-med. shrub Low-Middle Spreading fibrous Poor Overbank -Transitional Mockorange or Syringa Populus angustifolia Lg. tree Middle Shallow Very good Transitional Narrowleaf cottonwood Populus fremontii Lg. tree Low-Middle Shallow fibrous Very good Transitional Fremont cottonwood Populus tremuloides Med. tree Middle-High Shallow Poor Transitional Quaking aspen Populus trichocarpa Lg. tree Low-Middle Shallow fibrous Very good Transitional Black cottonwood Prunus virginiana Good from root Sm. tree Low-Middle Rhizomatous Transitional Chokecherry cuttings Rhus trilobata Deep spreading Med.–lg. shrub Low-Middle Poor Transitional Skunkbush sumac rhizomatous Ribes aureum Sm.–med. shrub Low-Middle Spreading Good (in greenhouse) Overbank Golden currant Ribes cereum Sm.–med. shrub Middle-High Spreading Fair Overbank -Transitional Wax currant Rosa woodsii Sm.–med. shrub Low-Middle Shallow to deep Good (in greenhouse) Bank - Transitional Wood’s rose Sambucus coerulea Sm. tree Middle Rhizomatous Poor Transitional Blue elderberry Sambucus racemosa Med. shrub Middle-High Spreading Poor Transitional Red elderberry Shepherdia argentea Lg. shrub Low-Middle Rhizomatous Poor Transitional Silver buffaloberry Symphoricarpos albus Sm. shrub Low-Middle Spreading Very good Overbank -Transitional Common snowberry Deposition Tolerance: Regrowth following shallow coverage by soil. Drought Tolerance: Resistance to drought relative to native sites. Salinity Tolerance: Resistance to salinity relative to native vegetation on similar sites. Elevation range: Low 2,000 – 4,500 ft Flooding Tolerance: Middle 4,500 – 7,000 ft Low Tolerates 1 to 5 days or less High 7,000 – 10,000 ft Medium Tolerates 6 to 10 days High Tolerates 10 to 30+ days 7 Table 1 (cont.). Riparian trees and shrubs suitable for use in the Intermountain region Flooding Drought Deposition Salinity Species tolerance tolerance Wildlife value tolerance tolerance Acer negundo Big game browse, upland bird High High High Medium Box elder food Alnus rubra Big game browse, upland bird Medium Low Medium Low Red alder food Alnus sinuata Big game browse, upland bird Medium Low Medium Low Sitka alder food Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia Medium Low Big game browse Medium Low Thinleaf alder Betula occidentalis Big game browse, small Medium Low Medium Low Water birch mammal and upland bird food Cornus sericea Browse and cover for many High Medium Low Low Redosier dogwood species Crataegus douglasii Black/Douglas Low High Big game browse Medium Low hawthorn Elaeagnus commutata High Medium Big game browse High Medium Silverberry Pentaphylloides floribunda Unknown High Big game browse Unknown Unknown Shrubby cinquefoil Philadelphus lewisii Mockorange or Unknown Unknown Big game browse Unknown Unknown Syringa Populus angustifolia Narrowleaf Medium High Big game browse Medium Medium cottonwood Populus fremontii Medium Medium Big game browse Medium Medium Fremont cottonwood Populus tremuloides Low Medium Big game browse Low Medium Quaking aspen Populus trichocarpa Medium Medium Big game browse Medium Unknown Black cottonwood Prunus virginiana Birds and small mammals eat Low Low-Medium Low Low-Medium Chokecherry fruit Rhus trilobata Birds and small mammals eat Medium Medium-High High Medium Skunkbush sumac fruit Ribes aureum Birds and small mammals eat Unknown Unknown Unknown Medium Golden currant fruit Ribes cereum Birds and small mammals eat Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Wax currant fruit Rosa woodsii Rosehips eaten by many Low Low-High Unknown Low Wood’s rose species Sambucus coerulea Medium Medium Fruit eaten by birds Medium Low Blue elderberry Sambucus racemosa Birds and small mammals eat Medium Medium Medium Low Red elderberry fruit Shepherdia argentea Birds and small mammals eat Unknown Unknown Unknown High Silver buffaloberry fruit Symphoricarpos albus Birds and small mammals eat Medium Medium Medium Low Common snowberry fruit Table 2. Riparian willows suitable for use in the Intermountain region Elevation Rooting from Riparian Planting Species Size/Form range Root type cuttings Zone Salix amygdaloides Sm. tree Low Fibrous Very good Transitional Peachleaf willow Salix bebbiana Lg. shrub Low-Middle Shallow to deep Good Transitional Bebb’s willow Salix boothii Med. shrub Middle Shallow to deep Moderate Bank-Overbank Booth willow Salix drummondiana Sm.-med. Shrub Middle-High Shallow to deep Good Bank-Overbank Drummond willow Salix exigua Med. shrub Low-Middle Rhizomatous Very good Bank-Transitional Coyote willow Salix geyeriana Med. shrub Middle Shallow to deep Good Bank-Overbank Geyer willow Salix lasiandra Sm. tree Low-Middle Shallow to deep Good Transitional Pacific willow Salix lemmonii Sm.-med. shrub Middle-High Shallow to deep Good Bank-Overbank Lemmon willow Salix lutea Med.-lg. shrub