I just returned from my annual week-long trip to the Bulkley Valley. During many of my walks, I am struck by how widespread Canada Buffaloberry is, and how it seems to grow in some of the worst soils. Walking on a dike along a river, made of crushed course rock, it grows readily. Walking on an old logging road, where the Spruce and Pine Trees block most of the sunlight and the soil is mossy, it covers the ground. The attached photo is from the side of one of these old logging roads. Looking out from both sides of the road, all you see is red ground cover (the buffalo berries). I wonder why I have have such poor luck with Silver Buffaloberry? It is a cousin of Canada Buffaloberry. They have the same cold hardiness and the same soil needs. So why can't I grow Silver Buffaloberry? Switching gears somewhat, I was pleasantly surprised to find a Small-leaved Lime Tree (AKA Small-leaved Linden Tree) growing in the back of my parents' garden. I had always looked right past it and never noticed it. Now I am fascinated. I would like to get some seeds from this tree and try to grow some more of these trees. However, I have seen some information about this tree that says it needs a female and male tree in order to produce viable seeds. Is that true? If so, is there any way to tell whether this tree is male or female? The tree in the attached photo does not have a companion but does have small fruit forming. Does that mean the tree is female but the fruit do not contain viable seeds? So many questions.
Small-leaved Lime is monoecious, it doesn't have separate male and female trees. But it is outcrossing; pollen from the same tree is likely to give seeds minimal viability. You'll need a second specimen not too far away so they can pollinate each other.
