Shepherdia

Shepherdia
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Shepherdia argentea, western Nevada
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Elaeagnaceae
Genus:	Shepherdia Nutt.
Species
See text

Shepherdia, commonly called buffaloberries or bullberries, are a genus of small shrubs in the Elaeagnaceae Family.

The plants are native to northern and western North America. They are non-legume nitrogen fixers.

Species

The genus has three species:

• Shepherdia argentea — Silver buffaloberry.
• Shepherdia canadensis — Canada buffaloberry.
• Shepherdia rotundifolia — Round-leaf buffaloberry; endemic to southern Utah and northern Arizona.

Fruit

The berry is recognizable by being a dark shade of red, with little white dots on them. They are rough to the touch, and found on both trees and shrubs.

Wildlife

The plants have rather bitter tasting berries. The fruit are often eaten by bears, which by legend, prefer the berries to maintain fat stores during hibernation.

Buffaloberries are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including The Engrailed (recorded from S. canadensis) and Coleophora elaeagnisella.

Culinary

Buffaloberries are edible by humans. They are quite sour, and afterwards leave the mouth a little dry. A touch of frost will sweeten the berries. The berries can be made into jelly, jam, or syrup, soups, or prepared like cranberry sauce from berries.