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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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Introductory
SPECIES: Rhamnus purshiana | Cascara
ABBREVIATION :
RHAPUR
SYNONYMS :
NO-ENTRY
SCS PLANT CODE :
RHPU
COMMON NAMES :
cascara
cascara buckthorn
cascara sagrada
bearberry
chittam bark
coffee-tree
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name of cascara is Rhamnus purshiana
DC. [12]. There are no recognized subspecies, varieties, or forms.
LIFE FORM :
Tree, Shrub
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
COMPILED BY AND DATE :
R. J. Habeck, February 1992
LAST REVISED BY AND DATE :
NO-ENTRY
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Habeck, R. J. 1992. Rhamnus purshiana. In: Remainder of Citation
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Rhamnus purshiana | Cascara
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Cascara generally occurs from British Columbia down through northern
California. It is mostly distributed west of the Cascades but can also
be found east to northern Idaho and northwestern Montana [1,12].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES23 Fir - spruce
FRES24 Hemlock - Sitka spruce
FRES25 Larch
FRES27 Redwood
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
STATES :
CA ID MT OR WA
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS :
CODA CRLA MORA NOCA OLYM REDW
SAJH WHIS
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
1 Northern Pacific Border
2 Cascade Mountains
4 Sierra Mountains
5 Columbia Plateau
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K001 Spruce - cedar - hemlock forest
K002 Cedar - hemlock - Douglas-fir forest
K003 Silver fir - Douglas-fir forest
K005 Mixed conifer forest
K010 Ponderosa shrub forest
K011 Western ponderosa forest
K012 Douglas-fir forest
K029 California mixed evergreen forest
SAF COVER TYPES :
205 Mountain hemlock
206 Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir
210 Interior Douglas-fir
211 White fir
212 Western larch
221 Red alder
224 Western hemlock
225 Western hemlock - Sitka spruce
226 Coastal true fir - hemlock
227 Western redcedar - western hemlock
228 Western hemlock
229 Pacific Douglas-fir
230 Douglas-fir - western hemlock
233 Oregon white oak
234 Douglas-fir - tanoak - Pacific madrone
237 Interior ponderosa pine
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Cascara is predominately a shrub component on forested sites in the
Pacific Northwest. No information was found listing cascara as an
understory dominant or site indicator. Cascara was listed, however, as
a member of a prairie community occupying a floodplain in the Willamette
Valley, Oregon. It was also listed as a representative species in a vine
maple (Acer circinatum) plant association on a lava flow near Santiam Pass,
Oregon [9]. In southern Oregon, cascara was found as a component in many
plant associations in the white fir (Abies concolor), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga
menziesii), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) series [2].
Plant associations (pas) in southern Oregon where cascara is listed as a
component are as follows [2]:
Constancy Min. Max.
(pas) (%) % cover % cover Range Mean SD
--------------------------------------------------------------------
W. Hemlock Series 2.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.2 0.4
TSHE/GASH/LIBO 5.0 --- --- --- 1.0 0
TSHE/PSME/GASH 8.0 --- --- --- 1.0 0
TSHE/GASH-CHUM 25.0 --- --- --- 1.5 0.7
TSHE/ACCI/RUNI 11.0 --- --- --- 1.0 0
White Fir Series 2.0 1.0 8.0 7.0 2.8 3.5
ABCO/ACGL/BENE 10.0 --- --- --- 1.0 0
ABCO/COCOC-AMAL 16.0 --- --- --- 8.0 0
ABCO-CADE3/BENE 4.0 --- --- --- 1.0 0
ABCO-PSME/BEPI 3.0 --- --- --- 1.0 0
Douglas-fir Series 3.0 3.0 3.0 0 3.0 0
PSME/RHDI/CYGR 33.0 --- --- --- 3.0 0
Scientific names for species used above are as follows:
ABCO Abies concolor
ACCI Acer circinatum
ACGL Acer glabrum
AMAL Amelanchier alnifolia
BENE Berberis nervosa
BEPI Berberis piperiana
CADE3 Calocedrus decurrens
CHUM Chimaphila umbellata
COROC Corylus cornuta californica
CYGR Cynoglossum grande
GASH Gaultheria shallon
LIBO Linnaea borealis
PSME Pseudotsuga menziesii
RHDI Rhus diversiloba
RUNI Rubus nivalis
TSHE Tsuga heterophylla
VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Rhamnus purshiana | Cascara
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Cascara is a wide-spread but not abundant shrub found primarily in
forested mountains [27]. It has been listed as a browse species for
mule deer in Oregon [7,29] and for elk in northern Idaho [26]. Cascara
was found to be a winter browse species for mule deer in northwestern
Oregon. Sixty-eight percent of available cascara shrubs were browsed
during the winter. In summer, however, cascara was less desirable; only
27 percent of available cascara shrubs were browsed [6]. Other mammals
that browse cascara include the Olympic black bear, Oregon gray fox,
racoon, and ring-tailed cat [1,29]. Cascara drupes are eaten by five
species of birds including the Oregon ruffed grouse and band-tailed
pigeon. Cascara is of no value as forage for livestock [30]. How the
purgative characteristics of cascara bark and drupes affect wildlife are
not known [29].
PALATABILITY :
Although utilized by wildlife, cascara is not very palatable. Cascara
is browsed very lightly by sheep and to some extent by mule deer, but
for all practical purposes its forage value is negligible [27].
Palatability of cascara leaves to elk on the Selway Game Preserve, Idaho
was poor [30].
The relish and degree of use shown by wildlife species for cascara in
British Columbia are as follows [4]:
Specie Palatability
----------------- ------------
bighorn sheep poor
elk fair
moose poor
mule deer poor
white-tailed deer poor
caribou poor
coast deer good
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
The nutritive value of cascara is poorly understood. Cascara was found
to be nitrogen-rich in one southern British Columbia study [14].
COVER VALUE :
Cascara often forms brushy stands capable of providing abundant thermal
and hiding cover [2]. The shrubby form may prove a more valuable cover
species than the treelike northern form [29].
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
The greatest known value of cascara is its purgative properties. In a
single year, five million pounds of dried cascara bark from the Pacific
Northwest was processed by pharmaceutical companies in the manufacture
of laxatives [1,23].
The Kootenai and Flathead tribes of western Montana used cascara as a
laxative, consuming it in the form of a tea brewed from the bark. These
Indians believed that it would be a purgative when the bark was stripped
downward. If stripped upward, the drug would act as an emetic. Cascara
bark contains anthraquinare derivatives, tannin, resins, starch,
glucose, and other compounds [11]. When the bark is chewed, it tastes
extremely bitter, and may temporarily numb the taste buds [1].
The flesh of some animals which have consumed the drupes is said to
retain some of the purgative properties. The juice pressed from the
berries is used to prepare a 'syrup of cascara'. The bark and dried
berries have been used as a source of yellow- and saffron-colored dyes.
The berry juice. when combined with alum, produces a green dye once used
by artists [21].
Apparently, if cascara is handled for a long time, the laxatative
effects can even be transferred through the skin [1]. For maximum
effectiveness, bark collection is recommended from mid-April to the end
of August, and bark should be stored as long as possible before being
used [11].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Disease: Cascara has been found to be susceptible to laboratory
exposures of crown rusts [29].
Herbicides: Garlon 4 and Tordon 101 applied during early foliar
development top-killed 95 percent of cascara 3 years after treatment
[19].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Rhamnus purshiana | Cascara
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Cascara is a deciduous, erect, tall shrub or small tree. It can attain
a height up to 33 feet (10 m) at maturity, but becomes smaller in size
and bushier along its southern distribution [29]. West of the Cascades,
it develops a single trunk 8 to 12 inches (20-30 cm) thick, 20 to 35
feet (6-10.7 m) tall. It has greenish-yellow flower petals
approximately 0.12 to 0.16 inch (3-4 mm) long [23]. Cascara has a
purplish-black drupe about 0.3 inch (7.5 mm) in diameter, containing
several seeds [5,20]. Cascara is very tolerant of shade [1]. The
leaves are oblong, 3 to 5 inches (7.5-12.5 cm) long, and have 10 to 12
pairs of prominent parallel veins arising directly opposite each other
on the midrib. The leaf buds have no scales [12,27].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Phanerophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Cascara usually reproduces by seed. It can also spread by layering and
can sometimes be propagated by cuttings. Cascara will coppice after
being stripped of bark and cut down [11,29].
Seeds: Cascara generally produces 20 pounds (18 kg) of seeds per 100
pounds (90 kg) of fruit. Cleaned seeds range from 5,000 to 19,000 seeds
per pound (4,500-17,100 kg), with an average of 12,300. Recommended
sowing depth is 1 inch, with seedbed shading [13]. Birds are the
predominant distributors of cascara seeds [1].
Morphological characteristics of cascara fruit from Rainbow Creek
Research Natural Area, southeast Washington are as follows [24]:
Mean
------
Fruit Diameter (mm) 11.60
Fruit Mass (mg) 796.80
Pulp Dry Mass (mg) 126.10
Number of Seeds per Fruit 3.00
Fresh Seed Mass per Fruit (mg) 165.20
Fresh Pulp Mass (mg) 3.80
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Cascara generally grows on lower mountain slopes [1]. It may also
inhabit moist canyons on the east slope of the Cascades. In Oregon,
cascara is generally a moist-site indicator [2]. It is commonly found
with red alder (Alnus rubra) on moist bottomlands but is rarely abundant
[1].
Site characteristics from southern Oregon Cascade Mountain Province
where cascara is found as a forest nominal component are as follows [2]:
Range of Means
--------------
Elevation (ft): 2,447 - 4,232
Slope (%): 13.0 - 53.0
Soil Depth (in): 34.6 - 46.7
Rooting Depth (in): 39.3 - 50.0
Mean Annual Temp. (F): 43.9 - 48.8
Max. Month Temp. (F): 77.5 - 84.7
Mean Annual ppt (in): 36.7 - 67.5
Dry Season ppt (in): 6.0 - 8.8
Litter (%): 70.7 - 98.7
Moss (%): 2.3 - 45.2
Bareground (%): 0.2 - 4.0
Gravel (%): 0.3 - 3.8
Rock (%): 0.4 - 6.1
Bedrock (%): 0.0 - 3.8
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Cascara has not been cited as a dominant species in any forest habitat
type described for the Pacific Northwest. Being shade tolerant, it is
often found in the understory of second-growth forests [1]. Therefore,
its primary role seems to be that of a long-lived invader species.
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Major phenological activities of cascara in northern Idaho are as
follows [22]:
Bud Leafing Stem Fruit Leaf Color Leaf
Year Swell Out Growth Blooming Growth Change Fall
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1971 NA-4/27 5/4-5/19 5/11-7/21 5/26-6/9 6/18-NA 9/30 NA
1972 4/19/5/6 5/6-6/2 5/19-7/12 5/22-6/13 6/20-NA 10/9 NA
1973 NA-4/23 5/2-6/4 5/2-7/4 5/28-6/12 6/19-NA 10/2 NA
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Rhamnus purshiana | Cascara
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Cascara will sprout from the root crown following low-intensity fires
[11,29].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
survivor species; on-site surviving root crown or caudex
secondary colonizer; off-site seed carried to site after year 2
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Rhamnus purshiana | Cascara
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Cascara is usually top-killed by fire [29].
Preburn and postburn measurements of cascara in central Idaho were as
follows [17]:
Avg. Live Avg. Live Avg. Crown Avg. Dead No. Avg. Sprout
Crown Diameter Crown Height Below 7ft. Crown Basal Height
(ft) (ft) (%) (%) Sprouts (ft)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preburn 4.0 8.0 95.0 95.0 1.0 1.5
Postburn 3.0 4.5 100.0 100.0 18.0 3.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Preburn measurements were taken in March, 1965. Postburn measurements
were taken in August, 1965.
2. Postburn measurements were taken on the part of the plant which
existed before treatment.
3. All cascara's aboveground parts were completely killed by the fire.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Change in cascara measurements after prescribed burns in northern Idaho
were as follows [16]:
1965 1970 1975 1966 1971 1976
-------------------------------------------
Avg. Preburn
Crown Height (cm): 244 --- --- --- --- ---
Avg. Preburn
Crown Diameters (cm): 91 --- --- --- --- ---
Avg. No. Basal
Sprouts per
Plant: 18 12 7 --- --- ---
Avg. Sprout
Height (cm): 91 76 76 --- --- ---
Max. Crown Height
2 Years After Burn (cm): --- --- --- 183 137 122
Max. Crown Diameter
2 Years After Burn (cm): --- --- --- 137 107 107
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Fire intervals on southern Oregon sites where cascara occurs range from
30 to 60 years, to longer intervals of 100 to 320 years. These
understories are generally free from heavy fuels, giving rise to
low-intensity fires. In some plant associations that include cascara,
however, high-intensity, stand-replacing fires occur approximately every
60 to 150 years [2].
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Rhamnus purshiana | Cascara
REFERENCES :
1. Arno, Stephen F.; Hammerly, Ramona P. 1977. Northwest trees. Seattle,
WA: The Mountaineers. 222 p. [4208]
2. Atzet, Thomas; McCrimmon, Lisa A. 1990. Preliminary plant associations
of the southern Oregon Cascade Mountain Province. Grants Pass, OR: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Siskiyou National Forest. 330
p. [12977]
3. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
[434]
4. Blower, Dan. 1982. Key winter forage plants for B.C. ungulates.
Victoria, BC: British Columbia Ministry of the Environment, Terrestrial
StudiesBranch. [17065]
5. Brockman, C. Frank. 1979. Trees of North America. New York: Golden
Press. 280 p. [16867]
6. Crouch, Glenn L. 1968. Forage availability in relation to browsing of
Douglas-fir seedlings by black-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife
Management. 32(3): 542-553. [16105]
7. Einarsen, Arthur S. 1946. Crude protein determination of deer food as an
applied management technique. Transactions, 11th North American Wildlife
Conference. 11: 309-312. [17031]
8. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and
Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]
9. Franklin, Jerry F.; Dyrness, C. T. 1973. Natural vegetation of Oregon
and Washington. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-8. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range
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10. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
11. Hart, J. 1976. Montana--native plants and early peoples. Helena, MT:
Montana Historical Society. 75 p. [9979]
12. Hitchcock, C. Leo; Cronquist, Arthur. 1973. Flora of the Pacific
Northwest. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. 730 p. [1168]
13. Hubbard, Richard L. 1974. Rhamnus L. Buckthorn. In: Schopmeyer, C. S.,
ed. Seeds of woody plants in the United States. Agriculture Handbook No.
450. Washington: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service:
704-708. [7738]
14. Klinka, K.; Wang, Q.; Carter, R. E. 1990. Relationships among humus
forms, forest floor nutrient properties, and understory vegetation.
Forest Science. 36(3): 564-581. [13012]
15. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]
16. Leege, Thomas A. 1979. Effects of repeated prescribed burns on northern
Idaho elk browse. Northwest Science. 53(2): 107-113. [5116]
17. Leege, Thomas A.; Hickey, William O. 1966. Lochsa elk study. Big Game
Surveys and Investigations: W 85-R-17, Job No. 8. July 1, 1965 to June
30, 1966. Boise, ID: State of Idaho Fish and Game Department. 22 p.
[16759]
18. Lyon, L. Jack; Stickney, Peter F. 1976. Early vegetal succession
following large northern Rocky Mountain wildfires. In: Proceedings, Tall
Timbers fire ecology conference and Intermountain Fire Research Council
fire and land management symposium; 1974 October 8-10; Missoula, MT. No.
14. Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station: 355-373. [1496]
19. Miller, Daniel L.; Kidd, Frank A. 1983. Shrub control in the Inland
Northwest--a summary of herbicide test results. Forestry Research Note
RN-83-4. Lewiston, ID: Potlatch Corporation. 49 p. [7861]
20. Morris, Melvin S.; Schmautz, Jack E.; Stickney, Peter F. 1962. Winter
field key to the native shrubs of Montana. Bulletin No. 23. Missoula,
MT: Montana State University, Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment
Station. 70 p. [17063]
21. Mozingo, Hugh N. 1987. Shrubs of the Great Basin: A natural history.
Reno, NV: University of Nevada Press. 342 p. [1702]
22. Orme, Mark L.; Leege, Thomas A. 1980. Phenology of shrubs on a north
Idaho elk range. Northwest Science. 54(3): 187-198. [1800]
23. Patterson, Patricia A.; Neiman, Kenneth E.; Tonn, Jonalea. 1985. Field
guide to forest plants of northern Idaho. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-180.
Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain
Research Station. 246 p. [1839]
24. Piper, Jon K. 1986. Seasonality of fruit characters and seed removal by
birds. Oikos. 46: 303-310. [15348]
25. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant
geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]
26. Trout, Lester C.; Leege, Thomas A. 1971. Are the northern Idaho elk
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handbook. Washington, DC. 532 p. [2387]
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National list of scientific plant names. Vol. 1. List of plant names.
SCS-TP-159. Washington, DC. 416 p. [11573]
29. Van Dersal, William R. 1938. Native woody plants of the United States,
their erosion-control and wildlife values. Washington, DC: U.S.
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habits of elk on the Selway Game Preserve. Bull. No. 9. Moscow, ID:
University of Idaho, School of Forestry. 47 p. [6831]
Index
Related categories for Species: Rhamnus purshiana
| Cascara
|
 |
