Silver buffaloberry

Hippophaë argentea Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 115. 1813; Elaeagnus utilis A. Nelson; Lepargyrea argentea (Pursh) Greene

Shrubs or trees, 1–5 m, densely clonal, from underground stems. Stems armed, spines 2–5 cm. Leaves deciduous; blade elliptic or obovate, 2–5 × 0.5–1.5(–2.5) cm, margins plane, surfaces silvery-pubescent. Flowers: sepals yellow, 2–3 mm on staminate flowers, 1–1.5 mm on pistillate flowers; nectary disc conspicuous. Fruits bright red-orange or yellow, globose, 6–9 mm, fleshy, sparsely lepidote. Seeds brown, 3–4 mm. 2n = 22, 26.

Flowering Apr–May. Moist habitats, canyon floors, meadows, open slopes, sometimes on alkaline soils; 300–2300 m; Alta., B.C., Man., Sask.; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Iowa, Kans., Mich., Minn., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.Mex., N.Dak., Oreg., S.Dak., Utah, Wis., Wyo.

Shepherdia argentea is possibly escaped in the eastern United States (reported from New York; possibly only in gardens).