Chokecherry/Courtesy photo
BY ROB HEYDUCK
Shurbs are essential when it comes to building habitats in urban, suburban, and rural residential areas. They provide food, shelter, nesting and mating sites for birds, small mammals, and pollinators. They can also serve as windbreaks and provide privacy screening around and between housing. Every shrub listed below also produces colorful (and sometimes tasty) fruit for you and wildlife, and all are also native to the southern
Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau.
Serviceberry (also known as juneberry, saskatoon, or shadblow) (Amelanchier utahensis, A. alnifolia) are several related species that range across North America.
Utah serviceberry is native in our region, but hard to find in nurseries. Saskatoon, which is native from the Rockies north into Canada is more available, and there are even some varieties improved for fruit yield and quality. Plants grown with drip irrigation, or with passive rain catchment can yield juicy blue berries. The various species can grow from 4-10 feet tall and spread just as wide, and have white blossoms in spring.
Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) is native from the Rockies north into Canada. Silvery-green leaves will add an interesting touch to any landscape. They produce bright red berries, but due to saponin content, they are better left for wildlife
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is common throughout the Rocky Mountains in riparian areas and shrub communities. They can form low thickets or become 20-foot-tall trees. The white flowers in late spring are fragrant and mature into clusters of dark red or black fruit. Birds love these, and though the common name suggests their astringency, they are commonly made into syrup, jam, and wine by judicious addition of sugar.
Plum (Prunus americana) Plums light up fencelines in the spring with their fragrant single blossoms and provide great nesting habitat for songbirds. Development of suckers from the root system makes this a great choice for stabilizing banks and gullies.
Sumac (Rhus trilobata) sometimes called skunkbush sumac, is a spreading shrub in the Cashew family (which includes poison ivy and oak—this species is NOT toxic but may cause a reaction in sensitive individuals). It is especially drought tolerant and responds well to browsing (or weed whackers). It produces small red berries which can be dried and used to add a lemony flavor to marinades and spice blends. They also provide a vital winter food source for birds and small mammals.
Golden currant (Ribes aurea) is a 5-10 foot shrub with bright yellow spring blossoms. Like plum, it can also spread through suckers. The edible fruit ranges from yellow to red to black, and the flavor can range from tart to sweet when ripe. Birds and small mammals love the fruit and seeds.
While these shrubs have slightly different native habitats and ranges, they will all do well between 6,000 and 9,000 feet in elevation. When planting shrubs, dig a hole just as deep, but twice as wide as the container. When removing the plant from the pot, observe if the roots are spiraling in the pot. If they are, gently tease out the roots and remove excessively dense portions (especially if they are still in the shape of the pot.)
Plant the shrub at or just below the natural ground line and form a basin around it that is least twice as wide as the crown of the plant. Use organic mulch to cover the soil, holding moisture in the soil longer and cooling the soil surface. Water deeply at planting and then observe. Be cautious of overwatering as these are all relatively drought tolerant native plants. They will, however, benefit from care in their first several years.
About Backyard Biodiversity
Backyard Biodiversity is a series of educational yard articles brought to you in partnership with local conservationists, scientists, and biologists and Chama Peak Land Alliance. The series highlights the unique and special nature of our area, in the hope that each of us can and will improve our backyards and communities by ensuring biodiversity. Submitted by Sage Faulkner, Chama Peak Land Alliance sage@chamapeak.org
About the author
Author, Rob Heyduck is a semi-retired Forester and Agronomist with over 30 years’ experience in the Southwest, including 22 years with New Mexico State University. He has worked in a variety of areas including organic and sustainable farming, ecological restoration, native plant propagation, hydrology, phytoremediation, recreation planning and development, and on-farm conservation.