Ground cover was sampled for each plot 4 years 

 after planting, using ten 20- by 50-cm quadrats on 

 each plot. Analysis of variance procedures were used 

 to evaluate treatment differences. 



RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

 Survival 



Of the 18 species of plants used in this study, six 

 (Wood's rose, red-osier dogwood, thimbleberry, 

 blackcap, bush penstemon, and lovely penstemon) 

 showed good survival (47 percent or more) 4 years 

 after planting (table 1). These species show promise 

 for road cut revegetation in western Montana and north- 

 ern Idaho. Four other species (redstem ceanothus, spirea, 

 ninebark. and snowbrush) did well in some rating 

 categories but not in others. The other eight species 

 exhibited poor survival and growth or poor growth and 

 rooting characteristics. 



Initial survival (assessed at the end of the first growing 

 season) was > 70 percent for six species (Wood's 

 rose, red-osier dogwood, blackcap, thimbleberry, black 

 chokecherry, and blue elderberry). Of these, red-osier 

 dogwood. Wood's rose, and blue elderberry exhibited 

 survival rates > 87 percent. Low survival rates were 

 noted for silvery lupine (2 percent), ocean-spray (8 

 percent), and snowbrush (24 percent). 



Survival was evaluated in 1978, 4 years after trans- 

 planting (table 1). Red-osier dogwood. Wood's rose, 

 and thimbleberry maintained 70 percent or better survi- 

 val. Black chokecherry and blackcap survival dropped 

 to about 55 percent after the first year, and blue elder- 

 berry survival dropped to 30 percent. For most species, 

 losses were sustained primarily during the first growing 

 season, and less than 20 percent loss occurred in fol- 

 lowing seasons. 



A number of factors influenced survival and plant 

 development. Seed source, or origin of plant materials, 

 is one factor. Seed source may have had an effect on 



the results of this study, but since plant materials were 

 limited, testing for the effect of source was not possible. 

 General location of seed source is given by National 

 Forest in appendix 3. 



Planting condition also influenced survival. One cut 

 bank was planted during unseasonably warm spring 

 weather and another was planted during snowstorms on 

 frozen soil in the fall. Severe slumping occurred on 

 both sites and resulted in much mortality. Slumping 

 was not related to planting conditions. First-year survival 

 for Wood's rose was good on both sites (77 percent on 

 spring site and 61 percent on fall site); bush penstemon 

 had good survival (50 percent) on the fall site. First-year 

 survival for all other species was substantially lower 

 than for the average of all other sites. Subsequent losses 

 for established plants of all species on these sites were 

 similar to other cut banks, suggesting that once plants 

 become established under adverse conditions they con- 

 tinue to survive. Survival for cuts on the new road was 

 similar to that on the 20-year-oid road. 



Aspect appeared to be a significant factor in the 

 survival of lovely penstemon, redstem ceanothus, and 

 spirea (fig. 3). Survival of these species was significantly 

 lower on the western aspect than on either the southern 

 aspect or the eastern aspect. Perhaps high solar energy 

 late in the day causes added moisture stress. Species 

 on the eastern and southern aspects had similar survival 

 rates. Aspect differences might play a more significant 

 role in survivability at lower elevations and in regions 

 with less precipitation than the study sites. 



Browsing by wildlife or livestock did not influence 

 survival on these trials. Although elk and deer are in 

 the area, few plants show signs of browsing. Grazing 

 can be a factor in survival of plantings, depending on 

 the forage value of the plants used and the availability 

 of forage in the surrounding area. 



Precipitation data obtained from Hungry Horse Dam 

 5 miles (8 km) south of the study area and stations in 

 the study area showed that precipitation was nearly 



Table 1. — Species average survival 4 years following planting 



Total Spring Fall All 



number planting planting plantings 



Species planted 1974 1974 



-Percent - 



Wood's rose 



1.424 



93 



62 



82 



Red-osier dogwood 



93 



94 





94 



Thimbleberry 



59 



73 





73 



Saskatoon serviceberry 



1.515 



68 



12 



46 



Black chokecherry 



1,401 



65 



25 



53 



Spirea 



473 



57 



45 



57 



Blackcap 



64 



55 





55 



Lovely penstemon 



674 



36 





36 



Bush penstemon 



411 





51 



51 



Ninebark 



134 



60 



22 



49 



Blue elderberry 



31 



30 



50 



32 



Redstem ceanothus 



1,534 



32 



14 



26 



Smooth sumac 



88 



20 



14 



17 



Black elderberry 



23 



9 





9 



Curl-leaf mountain-mahogany 



29 



7 





7 



Snowbrush 



1,436 



11 



4 



9 



Silvery lupine 



653 



1 





1 



Ocean-spray 



50 



2 





2 



4 



