Plant Survival in the Arid Southwest 30 Years after Seeding

Abstract

Adaptability and survival of range plantings are important to those interested in artificial seeding of rangelands. An analysis of exotic plantings made in 1945 in the semidesert shrub, chaparral, semidesert grassland, and pinyon-juniper in the Tonto National Forest, Arizona, show that, of 48 species planted, 13 appear to be able to survive for at least 20 years and should be candidates for restoring depleted rangelands and seven survived for a 30-year period. No species survived for the 30 years in the semidesert shrub and pinyon-juniper types. Boer and Lehmann lovegrasses, blue panicgrass, sand dropseed, and menodora survived in the chaparral and crested wheatgrass and weeping lovegrass in the grassland.