Silver Buffaloberry

Bull Berry, Thorny Buffaloberry

Silver Buffaloberry (shepherdia argentea) are thorny shrubs (3-20 ft) with silvery-green leaves. The small yellow flowers bloom close to the stem and are inconspicuous. The clusters of red berries ripen in late summer. The shrubs are often found growing along rivers and streams, especially on the northern Great Plains. They're slow to lose their leaves in autumn.

Could it be? Canada or Russet Buffaloberry (shepherdia canadensis) look very similar to Silver Buffaloberry but have no thorns and less silvery hair on the leaves. Wolf-willow are also similar in appearance but have silvery berries and no thorns. Sea Buckthorn have light orange berries and long, narrow green leaves.

Did you know? Silver Buffaloberry provide shelter and nesting sites for many birds. The berries are a favorite food of many songbirds and Sharp-tailed Grouse.

See Also: Wild Strawberry, Bearberry, Blackberry, Chokecherry, Elderberry, Highbush Cranberry, Huckleberry, Oregon Grape, Saskatoon Berry, Snowberry, Thimbleberry

Easy - numerous and usually easy to spot in the habitats listed at the appropriate time of year.

Grasslands are large open areas covered with grasses. They have very few trees or shrubs. This habitat includes prairies and tundra.

Urban areas have a large population within a defined area. This includes villages, towns, and cities.