• IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE
• PALATABILITY
• NUTRITIONAL VALUE
• COVER VALUE
• VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES
• OTHER USES AND VALUES
• MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE:

Utah serviceberry is a very important species for mule deer in the Great Basin [1]. Porcupines, desert bighorn sheep, and cattle also use Utah serviceberry [15]. The plant provides good browse for domestic sheep, domestic goats and mule deer [8,24]. In the spring, Utah serviceberry provides fair forage for cattle and good to excellent browse for domestic sheep and goats [15]. Utah serviceberry provides good forage late in winter and in early spring, because it leafs out and blooms earlier than associated species.

Utah serviceberry fruit is preferred by many birds [8]. It can be an important winter food for birds since berries stay on the shrub throughout the winter [33]. In Nevada, sage grouse eat the fruit of Utah serviceberry [15].

PALATABILITY:

Utah serviceberry is highly palatable to birds, small mammals, livestock and other animals throughout its range [16,24,33,34]. It is a preferred food of elk in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Idaho [27].

NUTRITIONAL VALUE:

In-vitro nutritional value of Utah serviceberry leaves for mule deer in June and August in Arizona is as follows [43]:

	Protein (%)	Acid-detergent fiber (%)	Calcium (%)	Phosphorus (%)	Digestible dry matter (%)
June leaves	13	20	1.44	0.25	54
August leaves	11	26	1.75	.35	50

 

COVER VALUE:

No entry

VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:

Utah serviceberry has been used to revegetate big game winter range [3,13,33,37] and for surface stabilization [20]. The plant probably cannot be established from rooted cuttings [13]. It grows slowly from seed and therefore transplanting may be more successful than seeding for revegetation projects [29,33]. However, some authors claim successful transplantation is difficult [41].

OTHER USES AND VALUES:

Utah serviceberry fruits were used by Native Americans and early European explorers in North America for food [24,34] and medicine [8,21].

Utah serviceberry has been used as an ornamental plant, due to its pink or white flowers in the spring and purplish fruit in the fall [34].

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

Utah serviceberry is a host for cedar-apple fungus [24,46]. Incidence of the fungus in Utah is highest at low elevations, on steep slopes, fine textured soils, and northern exposures [22].

Utah serviceberry is browsing tolerant [33].

Related categories for SPECIES: Amelanchier utahensis | Utah Serviceberry