The Salish and Kootenai boiled debarked branches and used the solution as an eyewash. The Sioux boiled the roots, strained them through cloth and used the tea to cure diarrhea. The small, hard seed shows poor, highly erratic, or delayed germintation. Cold stratification for a minimum of 60 days appears to be a requirement for embryo development. Seed dispersal by animals and gravity.
Sprouts arise from both surviving root crowns and dormant buds on the taproot.
However, Russet Buffaloberry is not very aggressive in terms of regeneration. Vegetative propagation best accomplished using root cuttings. Stem cuttings have not been successful. Transplanting containerized material has been successful. Seeds are very susceptible to greenhouse pathogens and have limited germination ability.