Laserfiche WebLink
at least for those unversed in technical botany, to differentiate between some of <br />them. However, for practical range administration, specific determination is <br />probably not essential, since the palatability of the more common and abundant <br />species is almost identical. <br />As a group, the snowberries are most typical of medium elevations in the Rocky <br />Mountain region, being abundant chiefly in the ponderosa -pine, aspen, and spruce <br />belts at elevations of from 6,000 to 9,000 feet. On the Pacific coast, however, <br />several species are common at lower elevations; in fact, some species occur prac- <br />tically at sea level. They grow on dry and moist soils and on all slopes both in <br />shade and in full sunlight. In the Northwest snowberries occur most abundantly <br />along the drainage lines in association with other shrubs, or in parks and open- <br />ings in the timber. In the Intermountain region, central Rocky Mountains, and <br />Southwest they largely prefer relatively dry, southern slopes where they are <br />often the dominant shrubs in small patches. <br />• The palatability of snowberries varies in different localities and with different <br />plant associations. In general, there is a tendency for Symphoricarpos species <br />to have greater palatability in the Intermountain region and on the drier eastern <br />and southern ranges than in the more northern and western areas. <br />• <br />The palatability of most western species, in general, varies from poor to fair <br />for cattle, except in California, the Intermountain region, and the Southwest, <br />where it is fairly good or perhaps good for sheep and goats but practically <br />worthless for horses. These shrubs are also fair to fairly good forage for deer <br />and elk. <br />The relatively low, shrubby snowberries, whose foliage is mostly accessible to <br />livestock, withstand grazing very well; often, because of their abundance, they <br />are important factors in the forage supply on many ranges. These plants are <br />especially valuable in the Intermountain region on both cattle and sheep ranges. <br />These shrubs usually drop their leaves in the fall, and hence are of little value <br />on winter ranges. <br />2-92 <br />