Page author: David Giblin
Shepherdia canadensis
russet buffalo-berry, soapberry, soopolallie
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Moderately dry, open to wooded areas, sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Description:
General:

Unarmed, spreading shrub 1-4 m. tall; young twigs conspicuously brownish-scurfy; older branches brownish.

Leaves:

Leaves opposite, entire, short-petiolate, the blades ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-6 cm. long and 1-3 cm. broad, greenish on the upper surface and white-scurfy beneath, but with many brownish scales.

Flowers:

Plants dioecious, the flowers apetalous; staminate flowers brownish, with an 8-lobed disk in the throat of the calyx tube, the calyx with 4 spreading lobes 1-2 mm. long; stamens 8; pistillate flowers with the calyx tube enclosing the pistil, the 4 lobes short.

Fruits:

Fruit ellipsoid, yellowish-red, fleshy.

Accepted Name:
Shepherdia canadensis (L.) Nutt.
Publication: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 240. 1818.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Elaeagnus canadensis (L.) A. Nelson
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Shepherdia canadensis in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Shepherdia canadensis checklist entry

OregonFlora: Shepherdia canadensis information

E-Flora BC: Shepherdia canadensis atlas page

CalPhotos: Shepherdia canadensis photos

31 photographs:
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