Happy April! Spring has definitely arrived in Colorado and elsewhere across the West. Blooming native plants are beginning to show up, like the Utah Serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis). Here’s a few photos of it blooming along the Bright Angel trail last Sunday, March 29th, 2015:

 As you can see, Utah serviceberry can grow in very extreme conditions. It does best in areas with 12 to 20 inches of annual precipitation. Soils in this part of the Grand Canyon are sandy but do receive snowfall and summer rain runoff. This hardy plant also grows in rocky areas, as seen here:

Beautiful white flowers adorn this shrub in the spring. Part of the rose family, the Utah serviceberry is great for wildlife habitat. Birds consume the berries and take shelter in the branches. The leaves and small branches are grazed on by wildlife. It is a great plant for rehabilitation of range land or mining lands. Utah serviceberry can be used for landscaping and a part of windbreaks and shelter belts. Shop for Utah serviceberry here: http://coloradohardyplants.com/product/amelanchier-utahensis-utah-serviceberry/