Plant Native Species:
Live Stakes & Wattles

Live stakes and wattles are cut from readily sprouting woody species while they are dormant (i.e. early spring or late fall). The best species to use are native willows. Dogwoods are also a good choice. A harvest site must be located. Look for an area with an abundance of shrubs of the desired species. With permission from the landowner, harvest the amount of material needed. Carefully prune only parts of each plant to ensure its survival and limit the visibility of the removal.

Live stakes are cuttings of dormant shrub branches 2'-3' long with a diameter of about ½"-1½". Each branch may be cut into multiple stakes using loppers. Cut the top flat and the bottom at a diagonal to make for easier installation and identification of the appropriate end to be placed in the ground.

For wattles, use longer cuttings of the woody species. Cut branches 5'-10' long or longer and place them in bundles 6"-8" in diameter. Stagger the branches to create longer wattles and distribute the tops throughout the length of the wattle. Use untreated twine or wire to tie the bundles together tightly (photo above).

List of species appropriate for bioengineering:
Some of the plant species identified below are not distributed throughout Minnesota. Check the native plant encyclopedia maps in the Plant Guide to select species that are appropriate in your part of the state.

Species that grow in transitional zones with moister soils, such as in wet meadows, along marsh edges, and at margins of lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams:

Name	Life Form (tree or shrub) Height in feet	Root type	Rooting ability from cuttings
Alnus incana ssp. rugosa Speckled alder	large shrub/small tree 10-25'	shallow	fair
Cornus amomum Silky dogwood	medium shrub 5-12'	shallow fibrous	very good
Cornus sericea (stolonifera) Red-osier dogwood	medium shrub 5-12'	shallow	fair to good
Salix amygdaloides Peach-leaved willow	large tree 30-50'	shallow to deep	very good
Salix bebbiana Bebb's willow	large shrub 5-15'	shallow	good
Salix discolor Pussy willow	large shrub 5-15'	shallow	very good
Salix exigua Sandbar willow	medium to large shrub 5-15'	shallow suckering	good
Salix nigra Black willow	large tree 30-50'	shallow to deep	excellent
Sambucus canadensis Common elderberry	medium shrub 3-12'	fibrous	good
Spiraea alba Meadowsweet	small shrub 3-5'	dense shallow lateral	fair to good

Species that grow in upland zones with drier soils. These species can be used in bioengineering situations where there is a high slope that would be dry on the upper end. Consult the native plant encyclopedia for more specific information on habitat preferences for each species.

Name	Life Form (tree or shrub) Height in feet	Root type	Rooting ability from cuttings
Salix humilis Prairie willow	medium shrub 3-9'	fibrous	good
Viburnum lentago Nannyberry	large shrub 10-20'	shallow	fair to good
Viburnum rafinesquianum Downy arrowwood	medium shrub 4-8'	shallow	fair to good

Source: Adapted from U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, NRCS. "Streambank and Shoreline Protection." Engineering Field Handbook, ch. 16 (1996).