Shrubs that do well after a Prescribed Burn.

F

Freeborn

Member
Hi group,

I am looking for a variety of shrubs that will provide some vertical structure to my prairie grass and will do well after I burn the grass. I have a few areas that include borders of wet areas as well as dry areas. I would like to stick with something not to tall as I don’t want to provide perches for hawks so I was thinking shrubs and not trees.

Thanks.
 
Plum, Serviceberry, are two I see replenish after fire. If it's not to darn hot. You can disc around the bushes and do a small burn to destroy old grass in that specific area, and save all the bushes, works good for me. I am always concerned about a wild fire, so I disc alot! I use a water wagon too. But for sure it's the best management you can do. I do 1/3 rd every year. Quail nests are two or three to one in the unburned, even if it was burnt 3 years ago! The bird really like the disc areas which grow up in weeds the first year. Burned ground will get a nest every 8 acres or so.
 
Fragrant sumac, also called skunkbush sumac as well as Sandhill plum and American plum are fire tolerant. The sumac is more so. The American plum will get 8-10 feet tall, Sandhill more like 3-5.
 
Hey Drifter, you have any experience with silverberry or serviceberry?
 
No Maynard, I have planted coral berry and golden currant though. They work OK, cover is not too heavy though.
 
Thanks Drifter. I have heard that silverberry is drought resistant. I hope I am back on schedule for doing some shrub planting in the spring. Still have a mile of water line I need to run. Have the water line ran to the new shelterbelt around the ranch headquarters. I would sure like to find some big red cedar to get a head start on it. Monday the wind was horrible and the dirt blowing. Sure need to slow it down and sooner rather than later. I had container cedars ordered from Lincoln Oaks for this past spring, but they cancelled because they were not satisfied with the quality. I also had some silverberry and serviceberry ordered that I cancelled. I probably will order some for the spring and see how they do. I would like to plant some thickets in the canyons in the spring of 2014, so this would give me a chance to see how they do in this area.

I owe you a lunch or dinner one day when I am in your country. I also need to pick up a DU print I won the bid on at White's in Kingman.

Take care.
 
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