Yesterday’s berries were easy for me to identify. Today’s are another story. I took these shots earlier this summer along a trail at Fort Flagler but I’ve seen them around Sequim, too. I thought I could bring the photo home and paw through a native plant book to figure out what they are. No such luck.
I’ve eliminated bunchberries, honeysuckle, and bitter cherry and I’m no closer to knowing. This shot was taken in July. Does anyone have any ideas? They’re mighty pretty.
Elderberries. They grow in huge groups over near Bellingham – sometimes almost a hundred shrubs all bunched together – and singly. They spread quickly – the birds help and grow fast. At one house one of them volunteered to grow in my side garden – I would whack it back to the ground two or even three times a summer and it would bounce right back. I love the white blossoms in spring – they almost remind me of lilacs, and then the berries appear. They are one of my favorite of the wild shrubs – and they can grow to great heights – like a tree – but more branching like a shrub. I’ve been told that the red ones are poisonous – and the black ones are edible – but when growing up in Alaska we would pick the red ones and make beautiful jelly. The blossoms can also be picked in the spring and dipped in batter and fried into fritters.
Oh – another fun thing – the stems are hollow – and you can make a great pea shooter out of them. Do kids do that anymore?
I call these ‘those red berries’. Happy?
I’m assuming Jo Ann is right. They’re pretty!
They look like some we have here, but that’s unlikely. I wouldn’t eat them, though, as I do prefer living without pain! 🙂 They are pretty and I’m pretty sure there’s a moral there somewhere!
Red Elderberries. Not the same as the blue/black Elderberries used for Elderberry wine, jam, etc. The red ones are generally not a good edible. Pretty, though.
Thank you, Jo Ann and Ken! I had no idea that Elderberries were in any color besides blue/black. It hasn’t kept me awake at night but I have been very curious about what they are.
I’ve seen them here and there around town, but have never been tempted to pick and eat them. I love the strong red color against the green.