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Shepherdia canadensis

Canada Buffaloberry · Canadian Buffalo-berry · Bitterberry · Russet Buffaloberry

Family ElaeagnaceaeGenus Shepherdia

A small cluster of yellow-green flowers with spreading stamens on a twig, beside a leaf scaly brown beneath and green above.
FlowerWalter Siegmund (talk)CC BY 2.5

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
shrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, ShrubPLANTS Database
Height
6.0 ft1.8 mPLANTS Database
Flower
YellowPLANTS Database
Blooms
Late SpringPLANTS Database
Native range
Alaska, Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS Database

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: MediumPLANTS Database
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
5.3-8.0PLANTS Database
Moisture
Moisture use: MediumPLANTS Database
Watering
Drought tolerance: HighPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.

Worth knowing

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 26, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 25, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    4 germinated in this phase.

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    20 germinated in this phase.

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to step 5. Germination happens during step 5, in 16 days.

70% germination in 2–16 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Shepherdia p. 77Public domain
Show the original text
Shepherdia (Eleaganceae). S. canadensis germ. 70D(4%)-40-70D(20% in 2nd w)-40-70D(70% in 2-16 d), 70L-40-70D(25% in 1-6 w)-40-70D(45%), 40- 70D(4%)-40-70D(48% on 5-7 d), and 35% in Aügust-October in OT from seeds started in February. There was no further germination the following spring in OT. GA-3 had littie effect, and light had only a minor effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Shepherdia p. 77. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 3, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 2, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    4 germinated in this phase.

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 7 days.

48% germination in 5–7 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Shepherdia p. 77Public domain
Show the original text
Shepherdia (Eleaganceae). S. canadensis germ. 70D(4%)-40-70D(20% in 2nd w)-40-70D(70% in 2-16 d), 70L-40-70D(25% in 1-6 w)-40-70D(45%), 40- 70D(4%)-40-70D(48% on 5-7 d), and 35% in Aügust-October in OT from seeds started in February. There was no further germination the following spring in OT. GA-3 had littie effect, and light had only a minor effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Shepherdia p. 77. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 21, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 20, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    25 germinated in this phase.

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to step 5. Germination happens during step 5; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

45% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Shepherdia p. 77Public domain
Show the original text
Shepherdia (Eleaganceae). S. canadensis germ. 70D(4%)-40-70D(20% in 2nd w)-40-70D(70% in 2-16 d), 70L-40-70D(25% in 1-6 w)-40-70D(45%), 40- 70D(4%)-40-70D(48% on 5-7 d), and 35% in Aügust-October in OT from seeds started in February. There was no further germination the following spring in OT. GA-3 had littie effect, and light had only a minor effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Shepherdia p. 77. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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