What shrubs can live in shallow soil?

[shawnv]

I have a small hillside with soil that only goes down 5-6" before you hit rock and I would like to fill this area in with shrubs to act at cover/browse but wasn't sure what might grow in these conditions. The other option would be to plant a small stand of prairie grasses up top.

 

[NorthPotter]

wow, 5-6" is very shallow. I have luck with various Prunus genera and some Amelanchier genera on shallow soil. They seem to have a shallow root system(or can adapt a shallow system in rocky areas) and do well on our hillsides with shallow soils that are underlain with rocks. American Redbud also grows well on rocky slopes but I am not so sure about its value as browse.

Some places I have more rocks that dirt, lol.

 

[shawnv]

wow, 5-6" is very shallow. I have luck with various Prunus genera and some Amelanchier genera on shallow soil. They seem to have a shallow root system(or can adapt a shallow system in rocky areas) and do well on our hillsides with shallow soils that are underlain with rocks. American Redbud also grows well on rocky slopes but I am not so sure about its value as browse.

Some places I have more rocks that dirt, lol.

I own a ridge and valley, only one particular point has soil that shallow, in face in some point the rock slabs are right on the surface. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have to look into those more.

 

[wiscwhip]

Most prairie grasses have very deep roots, so I'm not sure that would be a good option or not? Is it rocks or solid bedrock. Roots of anything have an uncanny ability to work there way into the tiniest of spaces to get a foothold, but solid bedrock poses a huge issue. Maybe look at bear(yes bear, not bur) oaks and eastern red cedar. Junipers would be another choice. Serviceberry and loblolly pine can grow in these conditions if they are not too extreme. Bentgrass might be your best choice for a groundcover.

 

[shawnv]

I do have white pine, newly planted norways, apple trees and poplars growing starting 1/3 of the way off the top. The top area I was hoping to be a place where they could stage up and browse since I cannot plant any plot here. This area is only like a 12x 60yd strip where the lack of soil is an issue. I do have plenty of Cedars growing in other areas so I could consider that. I'll take a picture tonight.