Transplanting wild shrubs

[Bluffgruff]

I live in a suburb of front-range Colorado. My front yard is south-facing, xeriscaped, and exceptionally hot in the summer, with almost no shade. The back yard is north and east facing and there's quite a bit of shade.

I have access to a variety of wild-growing, native shrubs, but I'm struggling to decide on what to plant. I'd love to hear about anyone's favorite western shrub and why, before I go dig some up.

My list currently includes western serviceberry, western chokecherry, mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, alderleaf mountain mahogany, wax currant, rabbit brush, silver sagebrush, winter fat, and creeping mahonia.

Tips on transplanting are welcome. Points if some part of the plant is edible.

 

[LopeHunter]

Some plants need acidic soil and some need alkaline. Some need more water. Some need to have infrequent waterings or perhaps not have the roots get water-logged in soil that does not drain well. Some plants need specific altitudes to do well. Of course, sun exposure and summer/winter temperature extremes can kill even an established shrub.

Do any local nurseries sell the varieties you plan to source from the wild? That would be my first step in this process since if they sell those same shrubs then likely will do well when you go dig up some in the wild.

If can't find examples at the local nursery nor a walk though the neighborhood nor local parks then...would bring in a couple of each shrub with plenty of soil and try to plant with matching sun exposure/shade as when you dug it up. Likely late autumn is a good time to try and transplant but if a lot of snow builds up where you plan to get the shrubs then will need to get them as summer ends.

Wait a couple of years to see which thrive. Sounds like a neat project. Good luck!

 

[hank4elk]

Planted thousands of trees & shrubs. Tons of seed. Literally.
Above advice is golden.
Contact state forestry offices. Collage ag. depts. Quality nurseries.

1 in 10 transplants will just fail. Even nursery stock will fail without something.
Water, soil quality, competition from existing plants make a difference.
My soil has zero Nitrogen, water is scarce and juniper & pinions to compete for what is here. Existing natives.

Got a "Wildings" permit for transplanting from FS. Had to get it from AZ dept. as local NM FS office does not allow. Found a spot with small aspen and wild roses,native grass bunch. 6 trees. None made it past 5 years except 1 sprouted from roots. It is 10ft tall now and has another sprouted 3 ft. away.
One nursery tree out of 6 is alive in the other plot and has barely grown. Bad stock. I have transplanted dozens of aspens before that made it. Not here.

Have drip around the house now. I plant where roof water collects. Added soil amendments ,fertilizer. Native grasses to cover and hold moisture.
I will now move the roses and wild stream grass to the bottom where I have a "spring" going. Waterline from well filling stock tanks. A corral.
Elk proof fence. Hope.
Narrowleaf cottonwood, aspen, wild plum, chokecherry, serviceberry, currants. Nursery stock and seed.
Plants of the Southwest, Tooley's tree's, Curtis seed. NM.
NM State forestry has sales but big growers and planters buy them all instantly. Large lots.

Birchleaf Mtn. Mahagony , NM Locust, wild plums added to fruit trees and such around the house. Some from seed, now 15' tall.
Snow in NM is so dry and scarce that I have to water in winter. But I have it. Rodent protection is as important as elk. I have both in numbers.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Wait for fall moisture, if you transplant wild plants find relatively small ones that you can dig the entire root system if possible. If possible to supplement with water/amendments all the better, but do infrequent deep watering.

We did this when I was young; sumac, service berry, rose are what we had the most success with based on what is still there 35 years later.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Cool that you are considering natives. Most of my non-lawn is native cultivars. It takes so much less water. Tempted to tear out the grass and xeriscape the whole thing.

I usually buy commercial nursery stock or seeds, or occasionally collect seeds. In my experience, wild-sourced transplants have very low success. The root systems are extensive on most of the woody species, and deep and I think they usually end up being damaged too much. Sagebrush, for example, has both deep tap roots and extensive lateral shallow roots. Even tiny plants are damn near impossible to get to the bottom of and all the transplants I’ve seen have failed. Much better success with nursery stock when all the roots are confined in a pot so they can remain undamaged.

I love winter fat. It likewise has a deep tap root, but it does grow decently and establishes pretty quickly from seed. We put it in restoration seed mixes with decent success. I would think something that suckers, like chokecherry or currant, might be a little more amenable to transplanting from wild source?

I’ve had terrible luck with serviceberry. It seems to need more moisture than I can provide, and the deer will not leave it alone. I’ve actually had better luck with red osier dogwood.

When you’re eyeballing a specimen, keep in mind that the above-ground part of the plant is maybe only a third or less of the total plant. Root biomass is significant. Some species tolerate some root trimming, some don’t.

Good luck!

 

[Wild Bill]

As stated above, fall plantings are usually a little bit more successful.
I did about 100 live willow and dogwood stakes this spring and have seen quite a bit of success.
I'd also check in with your local conservation district. I've ordered a bunch of bareroot shrubs from them in the past and had success. They also deal with a lot of natives which can be a little more difficult to find.

 

[Wild Bill]

Most of my non-lawn is native cultivars. It takes so much less water. Tempted to tear out the grass and xeriscape the whole thing.

Care to share any pics of your non-lawn?
I've got about a 60' x 20' patch of turf at the back of my lot that I've got grand plans to convert to natives but haven't gotten around to it yet. My local commercial nursery stock is poor to say the least. I think when I get going with it I'm going to have to order plugs online which I have had zero experience with.

 

[Flynarrow]

My success is tied in part to when to transplant from the wild. Also, the roots need to be adequate for the tops. I only try in the spring before leafout. Cutting back the tops substantially improves the odds the roots can supply the tops until they get fully established in their new location. They are on life support before their roots get established....water not only settles soil around the roots, but gives them time to get reestablished.

 

[Caseknife]

A couple years ago I transplanted native Oregon grape and Potentilla. Had to move them again after a few years due to landscaping projects, where they are now, they are flourishing.

Advice on digging the whole root system is spot on and very hard for some species. May try propagating cuttings from new growth from the plants rather than digging the whole plant. Another method is if you have the patience and location to do it, is try layering the donor plant and come back the following year to transplant said plant. Good luck and have fun. Don't be afraid of moving your shrubs if they don't seem to like the location they were originally planted.

 

[Irrelevant]

Serviceberry is a good one. I like kinikinik for a low ground cover. Mach Orange is a very fragrant shrub similar to serviceberry (about to bloom here). Rocky Mt Maple and Vine Maple both have cool growth forms and great fall cover.

 

[270.Rose]

For whatever you plant, I've had great success with ignoring conventional wisdom to dig a large hole and mix compost into the bottom...that just acts like a big sunken pot and blocks the roots from going out and establishing. I dig a hole just barely big enough for the roots, fill it in as much as possible with the native soil, and layer any amendments on the top, extending them out well past the edge of the planting hole. The roots then get out into the surrounding soil a lot quicker. I've converted our entire front lawn into a mixed garden with fruit trees, vegetables, over a hundred roses, and lots of herbs and perennial flowers, and I've hardly done any digging.

 

[Kaitum]

I'm in the middle of replacing my dead Bermuda grass lawn with xeriscaping using plants native to the area. I'm in a transition area between desert and forest. What I've found is if it survives as a native in this area, its root system is substantial. Often far deeper than I can dig in the rocky, hard soil. If a local nursery has it, I've found its far less hassle to get them already dug than getting my own.

 

[Jbotto]

This thread needs more pictures!

 

[D4570]

Wait for fall moisture, if you transplant wild plants

My "fall moisture" is white and I have to shovel it off my walkways...

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

+1 on the Mock Orange. Had a couple at our home and they smell great and have a beautiful flower. Rabbit brush is pretty, and easy to get established. Just be prepared to have a lot or pull new growth if not wanted. It drops a bunch of seeds.

I now it's not native but Russian sage in xeriscaping looks great. Adds a ton of color and has a unique smell.

 

[Phaseolus]

A difficult plant to establish that is well worth it is Cliffrose, very fragrant and native pollinators love it. If you are ever driving through Palisade I'd advise stopping at Chelsea Nursery. They only have natives.

 

[Irrelevant]

oh and aspen. I'll never live in a home without at least a small patch of aspen.
Yarrow is pretty, a great pollinator, and real easy to grow.
Lupine, just need to find the variety that works best on your place.
Red flowering Currant (though mine died after a couple of years)
Biscuitroot is a cool-looking little flower too.

 

[Rack Daniels]

oh and aspen. I'll never live in a home without at least a small patch of aspen.
Yarrow is pretty, a great pollinator, and real easy to grow.
Lupine, just need to find the variety that works best on your place.
Red flowering Currant (though mine died after a couple of years)
Biscuitroot is a cool-looking little flower too.

I thought lupine is toxic? Though they are very pretty.

Cool thread that I hope to put to use someday! Agreed, Neemo Foto

 

[SAJ-99]

I thought lupine is toxic? Though they are very pretty.

Never heard anything about toxicity, but everything I read says deer don't like them. I can confirm that the deer in my neighborhood can't read. Mostly they like the very young, new sprouts. One a plant gets mature they seem to ignore it.

As hank and others have said, get comfortable with failure. When growing wild plants, there is a lot of it. That is probably why HD and Lowes are stocked with non-native stuff. I am killing daylillies right now. What I hate more is a close race between them and the hosta.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

You fall in grow zone 6? Elderberry, wild plum, salmon berry, marionberry, prickly pear, could maybe also do ornamentals like hawthorn, blackthorn. My favorite would be elderberry and that’s sentimental reasons and they’re hardier than they look. But I’m just an internet dick on a public forum too. Like Hank advised, extension offices like those from CSU, they know what to do.