Buffaloberry is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 4 through 10. Its late spring flowers are a modest draw for native bees, even though the fruit is the prize. A nitrogen-fixer, it draws nitrogen from the air and feeds it back to the soil — turn it under or leave the roots in place, and the next planting inherits a richer bed.
Zones
4-10
pH Range
5.3-8
Sun
Part Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Buffaloberry on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether buffaloberry actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score buffaloberry against your land's real conditions.
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What Buffaloberry is
Buffaloberry grows as a perennial and reaches around twelve feet at maturity. It blooms yellow in late spring.
How to grow Buffaloberry
Buffaloberry grows in USDA zones 4 through 10. Buffaloberry does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.3 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 110 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
4-10
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.3 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Part Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
-38°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
12 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
110+
plant_species_v5.csv
Plant it right
Set buffaloberry in part sun with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
Buffaloberry prefers pH 5.3 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band. It fixes its own nitrogen, so skip the high-nitrogen feed and instead dust the seed with a matching rhizobium inoculant at sowing.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Be patient, then harvest
Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — buffaloberry isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Buffaloberry offers low value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Buffaloberry thrives
Buffaloberry is hardy across USDA zones 4 through 10. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 4–10·Where Buffaloberry growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Buffaloberry can grow in these states:
See if Buffaloberry will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether buffaloberry actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Buffaloberry in my zone?
Buffaloberry grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 10 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Buffaloberry?
Set buffaloberry out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Buffaloberry need?
Buffaloberry does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does Buffaloberry need?
Buffaloberry prefers soil pH 5.3 to 8, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Buffaloberry attract pollinators?
Yes — buffaloberry's flowers are a modest nectar source for native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Buffaloberry safe for pets?
Buffaloberry is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.