VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Leptodactylon pungens | Prickly Phlox 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Prickly phlox was used by bighorn sheep in December and by mule deer in
February and April on bighorn sheep range in east-central Idaho [17].
In southeastern Idaho, prickly phlox is moderately grazed by sheep in
early and late summer [14].


PALATABILITY : 
The degree of use shown by livestock and wildlife species for prickly
phlox in several western states is rated as follows [6]:

                       CO        UT      WY         

Cattle                Poor      Poor    Poor
Sheep                 Poor      Poor    Fair  
Horses                Poor      Poor    Poor
Pronghorn             ----      Fair    ----
Elk                   ----      Poor    ----  
Mule deer             ----      Poor    ----  
Small mammals         ----      Fair    ----
Small nongame birds   ----      Fair    ---- 
Upland game birds     ----      Fair    ----
Waterfowl             ----      Poor    ----


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Prickly phlox is rated poor in energy and protein value [6].


COVER VALUE : 
The degree to which prickly phlox provides environmental protection
during one or more seasons for wildlife species in Utah is as follows
[6]:

Pronghorn             Poor
Elk                   Poor
Mule deer             Poor   
Small mammals         Fair  
Small nongame birds   Poor
Upland game birds     Poor
Waterfowl             Poor


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Prickly phlox is described as having low to moderate establishment
requirements and low potential for biomass production [6].  It is rated
as having low potential for erosion control and for short- and long-term
revegetation projects [6].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Prickly phlox frequency has been reported to decrease with livestock
exclusion [1,13].  On a southeastern Idaho sagebrush-grass range,
Harniss and Wright [14] found a decrease in percent production of
prickly phlox the first 2 years from early summer and late summer
grazing by sheep.  West and others [32] reported prickly phlox lives
much longer on ungrazed plots.

In areas in Utah where 2,4 D application had removed the shrub canopy,
prickly phlox increased in density by seedling establishment within 4
years.  However, it increased only at sites where cheatgrass (Bromus
tectorum) did not increase and the remaining perennial grasses were not
abundant [35].

Related categories for Species: Leptodactylon pungens | Prickly Phlox