VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Prunus andersonii | Desert Peach 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Desert peach is probably a seasonally important forage species on the
dry ranges where it grows.  Although plants are not highly productive,
the foliage is moderately palatable.  Leaf clusters are generally easily
accessible due to the low, open growth habit characteristic of most
plants [2].  Livestock consume the foliage primarily in the spring and
immediately after rainy periods.  It is moderately palatable to sheep
and goats during intervals of increased moisture availability [2].


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Desert peach appears to be an excellent candidate for use in
rehabilitation projects within its range.  Recent studies involving
roadside revegetation along the east slope of the Sierra Nevada indicate
that desert peach transplants are extremely hardy and able to survive
with little care or maintenance following initial planting efforts [15].
Smith and others specifically recommended this shrub for planting on
granitic soils within the sagebrush-grassland communities of eastern
California [15].

Currently, the rearing of containerized stock is the most effective
means of propagating desert peach.  Seeds of this shrub do not germinate
readily; only 44 percent of seeds germinated following a 4-week
stratification period at 35.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 deg C) [11].
Apparently plants are also difficult to propagate via stem cuttings [3].
Monsen and Davis [10] reported that a morphologically similar ally,
desert peachbrush (Prunus fasciculata), is being evaluated for potential
cultivar development.  As with other species within the Prunus genus,
consistent seedling establishment is difficult to achieve in desert
peachbrush; apparently ecotypes do not exhibit a wide range of
adaptability [13].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Desert peach is a useful shrub for revegetating desert roadsides because
of the ornamental value of its abundant, pale pink to rose-colored
flowers, which typically appear much earlier than those of most
associated shrub species [15].  The Pauites made a medicinal tea from
the leaves and twigs of this shrub that was used to treat colds and
rheumatism [11].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Species: Prunus andersonii | Desert Peach