VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Actaea rubra | Red Baneberry 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 



IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Red baneberry's overall importance to livestock and wildlife is low,
since it is not normally abundant.  In Montana, elk utilize red
baneberry foliage in the fall because it remains green after early
frosts.  Elk use in summer is more limited [46,82].  In Utah mule deer
use of red baneberry was moderate; it was eaten most frequently in the
fall [47,68].  White-tailed deer consume a moderate amount of red
baneberry.  Its value to pronghorn is poor [35].

Livestock use of red baneberry is low [21,71].  There are reports of
horses eating it in Montana and sheep eating it in Idaho.  However, it
is not normally grazed unless other forage is scarce [20].

Red baneberry fruit is consumed by several bird species including the
yellow-bellied sapsucker, American robin, wood thrush, gray-cheeked
thrush, brown thrasher, gray catbird, and grouse [50,81].  Some small
mammals also eat the berries including deer mice, white-footed mice, red
squirrel, eastern chipmunks, and redbacked voles [50,81].  Several
species of birds that use baneberry eat the fruit but void the seeds,
while some of the small mammals remove and eat the seeds leaving the the
pulp [81].


PALATABILITY : 
Palatability to elk in Montana and to mule deer in Utah is highest in
the fall [68,82].  Red baneberry has low palatability to domestic sheep
and cattle [71].  The relish and degree of use shown by livestock and
wildlife species for red baneberry in two western states is rated as
follows [21]:
                        CO         UT
      
Cattle                 poor       poor     
Sheep                  poor       fair     
Horses                 poor       poor     
Pronghorn              ----       poor     
Elk                    ----       fair     
Mule deer              ----       fair     
Small mammals          ----       fair     
Small nongame birds    ----       good     
Upland game birds      ----       fair     
Waterfowl              ----       poor     


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Red baneberry's energy and protein value are rated as poor [21].  Red
baneberry's name comes from a poisonous essential oil or glycoside
(protoanemonin) found in all parts of the plant but most concentrated in
the berries and root [43,72].  Symptoms of poisoning include
gastroenteritis, stomach cramps, headache, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea
and circulatory failure [72].


COVER VALUE : 
Red baneberry provides fair cover for small nongame birds and mammals in
Utah but poor cover for upland game birds and big game mammals [21].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
In some western states red baneberry is listed as having low to moderate
value for erosion control and revegetation potential, with moderate
biomass production [21].  Growth is listed as good on gentle slopes and
fair on moderate and steep slopes [21].  The plant is easily grown from
seed [44].  Stratification and a very moist seeding mixture are
necessary for germination [24,86].  The rootstock or caudex is easy to
transplant in the fall or spring when the plant is dormant [87].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Red baneberry has attractive foliage and brilliantly beautiful berries.
The berries are unpalatable and can cause illness to people eating them
[7,37].  With due caution for its poisonous attributes, red baneberry is
easily grown in woodland gardens and very attractive when interspersed
with ferns [7,44,48,54].

Native Americans in Alberta and British Columbia used a weak decoction
made from the roots as a stimulant in treating colds, arthritis,
syphilis, rheumatism, and emaciation.  They also chewed leaves and put
them on boils and wounds to stimulate blood flow into the area [88].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Red baneberry does not appear to compete seriously with young conifers
[62].  Following various logging treatments in northwestern Montana, red
baneberry's presence decreased, but it maintained or very slightly
increased its cover [29,30].  The limited information on the effects of
various treatments seems to indicate that mechanical site preparation
may uproot plants and decrease the cover of red baneberry [33,56].

Related categories for Species: Actaea rubra | Red Baneberry