Natural History

The Buffalo Berry is a woody, evergreen shrub that grows on steep slopes between 5000 and 8000 feet in elevation. The leaves are silvery gray and covered with silvery scales on top; underneath they are pale and slightly fuzzy. They are curved at the edges, and individually look sort of like a tongue.
 

The plant blooms in May or June and produces inconspicuous grayish green flowers, which are followed by an egg-shaped berry to 3/8 inches long. Berries are eaten by birds, bears, and small mammals. The berries have also historically been used by humans to make jelly.