• 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:

Redstem ceanothus provides important food and cover for many wildlife species, most notably Rocky Mountain elk [16,59,64,69,86]. Redstem ceanothus is browsed throughout much of the year but is generally of greatest importance to elk during the winter months when food is scarce [59,64,69,86]. In an Idaho study, redstem ceanothus was estimated to constitute one-third of the winter diet of elk [69,86]. Redstem ceanothus is probably less important as summer browse, when elk inhabit sites above the range of this plant [59,115].

White-tailed and mule deer feed on redstem ceanothus intensively during much of the year [16,52,53,105]. Snowshoe hares feed heavily on the foliage of redstem ceanothus in some areas [16], and winter rodent use of seedlings has been reported in northern Idaho [86]. Birds, rodents, ants, and other insects consume large numbers of seed [27] and may eliminate as much as 99% of the annual seed crop in some areas [16].

All classes of livestock eat redstem ceanothus. It is fair to excellent domestic sheep browse [106] and is a nutritious food source for lambs. Adult sheep can feed on plants up to 6 feet (1.8 m) in height by bending the flexible branches to within reach [114].

PALATABILITY:

Young tender foliage and twigs of redstem ceanothus are particularly palatable to large ungulates [28,62,71,105]. Palatability may be enhanced by fire, as older, tougher browse is replaced by nutritious new growth [62,86]. Palatability to elk varies seasonally but is generally highest in winter. Redstem ceanothus is a preferred white-tailed deer forage throughout the year [105] and is palatable to mule deer in Montana [21].

Redstem ceanothus is at least moderately palatable to cattle [75,105] and has been rated as having fair to excellent palatability for domestic sheep [106].

NUTRITIONAL VALUE:

The nutrient content of redstem ceanothus has been examined by a number of researchers [5,18,63,68]. Asherin [5] reported that the fat content of dormant redstem ceanothus twigs is relatively low compared with other co-occurring shrubs, though crude fiber and crude protein content are similar. In the Asherin study, fat content of the twigs ranged from 1.53 to 1.81%, crude protein ranged from 8.12 to 9.36%, and crude fiber ranged from 27.40 to 28.62%. Values are percent of dry weight.

Following spring and fall burns in northern Idaho, nutrients were measured in redstem ceanothus sprouts [63,68]. Crude fiber was the only nutrient that increased significantly (P < 0.01) in new growth the first year after burning, ranging from 35.07% in an unburned control to 45.68% following a fall burn. Protein ranged from 3.37% in a control site to 4.80% in a fall burn. Fat content ranged from 0.67% in a spring burn site to 1.49% in a control site. Values are expressed a percent of dry weight.

COVER VALUE:

Redstem ceanothus provides excellent cover for many birds and mammals. In northeastern Oregon, dense brushfields of redstem ceanothus and ninebark provide cover for mule deer [11]. These shrubs provide particularly good thermal cover during cold, windy periods. Numerous small birds and mammals find cover in shrubfields formed by redstem ceanothus and other tall, seral shrubs. Brushy clearcuts provide good habitat for birds such as the rufous-sided towhee, western bluebird, Nashville warbler, and olive-sided flycatcher [34]. Many small mammals, including deer mice, voles, and chipmunks, are favored by brushfields which develop after timber harvest and subsequent slash burning [10].

The degree to which redstem ceanothus provides cover in Montana is rated as follows [21]:

Elk                    fair
Mule deer              fair
White-tailed deer      fair
Small mammals          fair
Small nongame birds    good 
Upland game birds      fair

VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:

Redstem ceanothus develops a deep root system that can aid in soil stabilization [18,47]. This species can be nursery propagated [6,39,97], and has been successfully planted on logged sites, roadcuts, and acid mine spoils [34,47,108].

For large-scale seeding Gratowski [33] recommended that seeds be heat-treated and sown immediately during late fall rains just before snowfall. The seeds stratify naturally in the soil over winter and germinate the next spring. Seed collection techniques have been described [92,97]. Young seedlings are susceptible to stem rot or "damping off," cold winter temperatures, and herbivores [97].

Hungerford [47] observed good vigor after redstem ceanothus was planted on Montana roadcuts and reported that it was especially well suited for use on eastern aspects. Survival rates 4 years after initial plantings were as follows [47]:

                    % survival

spring plantings        32
fall plantings          14
all plantings           26

OTHER USES AND VALUES:

No entry

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

Stand improvement: Shrubfields in northern Idaho that originated following wildfires have been successfully broadcast burned to rejuvenate redstem ceanothus [65,66,67,68,69,86,111]. Increases in cover and frequency of redstem ceanothus following timber harvest have been documented by a number of researchers in a variety of plant communities and geographic locations [23,61,80,96]. Following timber harvest, redstem ceanothus establishes primarily from seed present in the seedbank [1,48,49,77]. Because germination is favored by heat scarification, treatments that include postharvest burns create the most favorable conditions for the development of ceanothus. Please refer to the Fire Effects section of this report for further information.

Interference with conifers: Seral shrubs occasionally form dense brushfields that inhibit conifer growth, though only 1 study was found that examined redstem ceanothus specifically [1]. This study reported that in grand fir habitat types of northwestern Montana, interference between redstem ceanothus and regenerating conifer seedlings was slight. Participants in a conference on the role of ceanothus species in ecosystems pointed out that studies of other ceanothus species, notably snowbrush ceanothus, have shown better initial establishment of conifers under shrub cover than in the open, though conifer growth was later slowed by interference [16]. Conference participants hypothesized that reduced conifer growth attributed to interference from ceanothus would be balanced by long-term site nutritional benefits provided by this nitrogen-fixing genus.

Interference from other vegetation: Because herbaceous vegetation competes with redstem ceanothus in some locations, Leege and Godbolt [67] recommended that grass seeding be avoided where increasing redstem ceanothus for ungulate browse is a primary management objective. Nitrogen fixation: The ability of redstem ceanothus to fix nitrogen can help promote other species by improving soil fertility, primarily through the decomposition and cycling of its high quality litter [9,16,18,76,104]. Rates of nitrogen fixation by redstem ceanothus have been estimated as high as 176 pounds per acre (80 kg/ha) annually in parts of British Columbia [9]. Binkley and Husted [8] found that, in addition to higher foliar nitrogen levels in Douglas-fir seedlings growing in association with redstem ceanothus, foliar calcium and magnesium of the seedlings was also higher. Authors suggest that enhancement of site fertility by redstem ceanothus, as well as its benefits to wildlife and site stability, make it an attractive candidate for mixed plantations with conifers [9,16].

Grazing/browsing: Overall density of redstem ceanothus is greater in ungrazed stands [119,120], and in some areas cattle suppress growth during the first years after timber harvest [40]. Redstem ceanothus was significantly more abundant on clearcuts where only cattle have grazed than in areas of both wildlife and cattle use [56,57]. In an Oregon study, plants grew an average of 18 inches (46 cm) annually when grazed only by cattle but averaged only 7 (18 cm) inches annual growth when utilized by deer, elk, and cattle [40]. Redstem ceanothus may be seriously damaged by both wildlife and livestock on overbrowsed sites [28,119,120]. Garrison [30] suggested approximately 50% removal of twigs and foliage during the fall as an appropriate level of use to maintain plant carbohydrate reserves.

Mechanical removal: Redstem ceanothus appears to be resistant to mechanical removal. Studies indicate that plants can exhibit increased growth when clipped up to 50% during the spring [114]. However, the amount of sprout height attained after mechanical removal is related to stored carbohydrate reserves [73] and may depend on season of treatment. In clipping studies, plants clipped to ground level exhibited highest mortality when foliage was removed during flowering. Plants clipped during full bloom produced only one-third as much annual growth as plants clipped earlier in the spring during the active bud stage [65]. Redstem ceanothus can be severely damaged by the removal of stems in fall but is unharmed by the removal of leaves [114].

Related categories for SPECIES: Ceanothus sanguineus | Redstem Ceanothus