Shrubs
See the current Inventory & Price List for seedling sources and availability.
Further seed source info and scientific names are available by contacting the nursery.
Average Seedling Height By Age: | 1 year old |
10-16" |
2 years old | 12-22" | |
3 years old | 16-26" |
Many of our species are produced from MITOSIS seed. MITOSIS is the Montana Interagency Tree and Shrub Improvement Study. The study was a cooperative effort to evaluate the performance of various species of plants in established Montana plantings. The selected plantings were evaluated for over ten years and the best performing plants were selected for seed orchard establishment at the nursery.
We use this seed source whenever possible. These selections perform well in many of Eastern Montana's variable and harsh climates. Although these plants have not been tested in every environment, MITOSIS selections are some of the best plant materials available for use in Montana. The selections are proven to survive in Montana because they were evaluated in Montana not other Northern Great Plains states.
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Buffaloberry, Silver | |||
Sheperdia argentea | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 10' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Excellent | |
Elevation Range | Up to 5,500' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-8' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 10" | |
Wildlife Value | Excellent nesting, food and cover for birds and browse for big game. | Pests | None significant. | |
Comments | Native, commonly found in coulees and sloughs with light soils. Thorny and suckers freely form thickets. Fruit makes excellent jelly. |
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Caragana | |||
Caragana arborescens | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 12' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Good | |
Elevation Range | Up to 7,000' | Life Span | 40+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-8' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 10" | |
Wildlife Value | Excellent nesting cover. Minor food source. Rarely browsed. | Pests | None significant | |
Comments | Most widely planted windbreak shrub in the northern plains. Adapted to all areas of Montana due to drought and cold hardiness. |
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Cherry, Nanking | |||
Prunus tomentosa | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | Moderate | |
20-Year Height | 6' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Fair | |
Elevation Range | Up to 5,000' | Life Span | 20+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 3-6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 11" | |
Wildlife Value | Fruit consumed by most birds, excellent browse. | Pests | Tent caterpillar, tent spot. | |
Comments | Small shrub, which performs well as an exterior row of a shelterbelt. Flowers 2-3 years after planting. Fruit is edible and sweet. |
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Cherry, Sand | |||
Prunus besseyi | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | Moderate | |
20-Year Height | 3' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Fair | |
Elevation Range | Up to 5,000' | Life Span | 10-15 years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 2-4' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 11" | |
Wildlife Value | Good loafing cover, food source, and browse. | Pests | Tent caterpillars, black knot. | |
Comments | Small, short-lived shrub with large edible fruit. |
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Chokecherry | |||
Prunus virginiana | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 12' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Fair | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,000' | Life Span | 40+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-8' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 11" | |
Wildlife Value | Fruit is prime food source for small mammals and birds. Browsed by deer. | Pests | Black knot, tent caterpillars, X-disease. | |
Comments | Suckers readily form dense rows. Fruit makes good jam. Common native shrub. |
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Chokecherry, Canada Red | |||
Prunus virginiana var. schubert | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 12' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Fair | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,000' | Life Span | 40+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-8' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 11" | |
Wildlife Value | Fruit is prime food source for small mammals and birds. Browsed by deer. | Pests | Black knot, tent caterpillars, X-disease. | |
Comments | The leaves on 70 to 80% of the plants turn deep purple in summer. Suckers readily form dense rows. |
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Cotoneaster, Centennial | |||
Cotoneaster integerrima | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 10' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Good | |
Elevation Range | UP to 7,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 10" | |
Wildlife Value | Nesting, cover and food source for birds. Poor browse plant. | Pests | Fire blight resistant. | |
Comments | Bright red fruit remains on plant into winter. A large hardy attractive shrub. |
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Currant, Golden | |||
Ribes aureum | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 6' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Fair | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,000' | Life Span | 25+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 3-6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 11" | |
Wildlife Value | Good cover for upland game birds. Fruit eaten by most birds. Browsed by big game. | Pests | White pine blister rust alternate host. Currant worm, anthracnose. | |
Comments | Attractive, cold and drought hardy plant, which has performed well in eastern Montana. Showy fall color, berries make excellent jelly. |
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Dogwood, Red-Osier | |||
Cornus sericea | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 8' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Poor | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,000' | Life Span | 40+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 18" | |
Wildlife Value | Excellent for bird nesting and cover. Good browse. | Pests | Oyster shell scale. | |
Comments | Will not survive dryland plantings. Use with irrigation or plant along water courses. Excellent for erosion controls. Bark color is deep red. |
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Honeysuckle, Blue-leaf | |||
Lonicera korolkowii | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 8' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Good | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-8' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 11" | |
Wildlife Value | Excellent nesting cover and food source for all song and ground birds. | Pests | Aphids and witches broom. | |
Comments | Resistant to honeysuckle witches-broom. Fruit readily consumed by most birds. Pink flowers in the spring. Requires little care once established. |
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Lilac, Common | |||
Syringa vulgaris | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate-slow | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 8' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Moderate | |
Elevation Range | Up to 7,000' | Life Span | 50+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-8' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 11" | |
Wildlife Value | Cover and nesting for song birds. | Pests | None significant. | |
Comments | Develops numerous suckers to form dense rows. Very hardy and long-lived. |
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Plum, American | |||
Prunus americana | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 10' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Fair | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-8' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 13" | |
Wildlife Value | Excellent nesting and ground cover. Large fruit is an excellent wildlife food. | Pests | Powdery mildew, fire blight, none major. | |
Comments | Thorny and suckers readily form dense thickets. Fruit is edible. Native to central eastern Montana. |
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Rose, Woods | |||
Rosa woodsii | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 5' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Poor | |
Elevation Range | Up to 7,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 3-6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 11" | |
Wildlife Value | Excellent food, and nesting and denning cover plant for all small wildlife. | Pests | Powdery mildew. | |
Comments | Aggressive spreader on moist sites. Dense, thorny thickets provide protection for all forms of small wildlife. Excellent for erosion control. |
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Sagebrush, Silver | |||
Artemisia cana | ||||
Growth Rate | Slow | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 2' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Good | |
Elevation Range | Up to 5,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | N/A | Minimum Annual Precip. | 10" | |
Wildlife Value | Important winter range browse plant. | Pests | None significant. | |
Comments | Native sagebrush, generally found on benches and valley bottoms. |
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Serviceberry | |||
Amelanchier alnifolia | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 14" | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Poor | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,500' | Life Span | 40+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 12" | |
Wildlife Value | Fruit is preferred by birds, small mammals and bears. Browsed by deer and elk. | Pests | Heat rusts, mildew, aphids. | |
Comments | Also known as June berry. One of the best wildlife plants. Drought tolerant once established. Berries are used commercially for jam production. |
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Silverberry | |||
Elaeangus commutata | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 6' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Good | |
Elevation Range | Up to 5,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 12" | |
Wildlife Value | Provides good cover for game birds and deer. Important deer browse. | Pests | Rabbits, branch cankers. | |
Comments | Native shrub, which forms dense thickets in coulees and sloughs of eastern Montana. Excellent for erosion control. |
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Snowberry, Western | |||
Symphoricarpos occidentalis | ||||
Growth Rate | Moderate | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 4' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Moderate | |
Elevation Range | Up to 7,000' | Life Span | 40+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4 to 6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 12" | |
Wildlife Value | Fruit and stems provide food to game and song birds and deer browse. | Pests | None significant. | |
Comments | Common native shrub, which persists exceptionally well through drought, fire and heavy grazing. Excellent for erosion control due to suckering. |
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Sumac, Skunk | |||
Rhus trilobata | ||||
Growth Rate | Slow | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 8' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Good | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | 4-6' | Minimum Annual Precip. | 10" | |
Wildlife Value | Food and cover for birds and small animals, especially sharp-tailed grouse. | Pests | None significant. | |
Comments | Prefers sandy, well-drained soils and is very drought tolerant once established. |
Willow, Bebb | ||||
Salix bebbiana | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 5-13' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Moderate | |
Elevation Range | 3,500-6,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | N/A | Minimum Annual Precip. | Riparian | |
Wildlife Value | High for stream restoration | Pests | Ungulate browse | |
Comments | A tall native willow found throughout western and central Montana. Found on wet sites but does not tolerate prolonged flooding. |
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Willow, Booth | |||
Salix boothii | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 15' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Poor | |
Elevation Range | 4,000-7,500' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | N/A | Minimum Annual Precip. | Riparian | |
Wildlife Value | Good for shading streams, browsed by big game. | Pests | Aphids, leaf miners, stem rot. | |
Comments | Common native willow often associated with Drummond and Geyer willow. Plant only in riparian sites. |
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Willow, Drummond | |||
Salix drummondiana | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 15' | Alkali/Saline Soil Toverance | Poor | |
Elevation Range | 4,000-7,500' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | N/A | Minimum Annual Precip. | Riparian | |
Wildlife Value | Fish habitat and browse. | Pests | Aphids, stem rots. | |
Comments | Common native willow found on stream banks and flood plains. Does poorly in bogs. Use for stream restoration and erosion control. |
Willow, Geyer | ||||
Salix geyeriana | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 4 - 10' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Moderate | |
Elevation Range | 4,000-8,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | N/A | Minimum Annual Precip. | Riparian | |
Wildlife Value | High for stream restoration. | Pests | Ungulate browse. | |
Comments | A common native willow found at mid to high elevations in Montana. Found on many moist sites. Tolerates shade well. |
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Willow, Plainleaf | |||
Salix planifolia | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 4 - 12' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Moderate | |
Elevation Range | 4,000-7,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | N/A | Minimum Annual Precip. | Riparian | |
Wildlife Value | High for stream restoration. | Pests | Ungulate browse. | |
Comments | Medium to large native shrub found at mid to high elevations in western and south central Montana. Found on stream banks, meadows and moist hillsides. |
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Willow, Sandbar | |||
Salix exigua | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 10' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Good | |
Elevation Range | Up to 6,000' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | N/A | Minimum Annual Precip. | Riparian | |
Wildlife Value | Excellent for streambank stabilization and bird cover. | Pests | None significant | |
Comments | Most widespread native shrub willow. Found throughout the entire state. Suckers from roots to form colonies, not clumps. Excellent for erosion control and revegetation of wet sites. |
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Willow, Yellow | |||
Salix lutea | ||||
Growth Rate | Fast | Cold Hardiness | High | |
20-Year Height | 12' | Alkali/Saline Soil Tolerance | Low | |
Elevation Range | Up to 5,500' | Life Span | 30+ years | |
Windbreak Spacing | N/A | Minimum Annual Precip. | Riparian | |
Wildlife Value | High for riparian habitat restoration. | Pests | Aphids, stem rot. | |
Comments | Usually found at low to mid-elevations directly adjacent to streams. Use for stream stabilization and fisheries habitat. |
- Contact
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CONSERVATION SEEDLING NURSERY
2705 Spurgin Road
Missoula, MT 59804
406-542-4244
email: mtnursery@mt.gov