What is this berry shrub?
September 4, 2010 3:01 PM Subscribe
What is this berry shrub growing on my property?
I am having a very hard time identifying what this berry shrub is growing on my property. There are about 12 of them, planted in what seems to be a mini tree plantation (all in lines) close to my house. Other species of trees planted there include maple trees and some type of pine or fir tree, and the plantation looks to be way way too closely spaced together, and while that's another question altogether perhaps it offers some insight here.
Pictures: the shrub, the leaf, the berries, and the berries with my hand for scale.
It is also clear that there is some kind of disease on the leaves. Can anyone identify that as well?
I'd also be open to any recommendations for how I can go about confidently identifying these things (bushes, shrubs, plants, and plant diseases) in the future - I didn't take biology in high school and boy am I regretting it nowadays.
I am having a very hard time identifying what this berry shrub is growing on my property. There are about 12 of them, planted in what seems to be a mini tree plantation (all in lines) close to my house. Other species of trees planted there include maple trees and some type of pine or fir tree, and the plantation looks to be way way too closely spaced together, and while that's another question altogether perhaps it offers some insight here.
Pictures: the shrub, the leaf, the berries, and the berries with my hand for scale.
It is also clear that there is some kind of disease on the leaves. Can anyone identify that as well?
I'd also be open to any recommendations for how I can go about confidently identifying these things (bushes, shrubs, plants, and plant diseases) in the future - I didn't take biology in high school and boy am I regretting it nowadays.
Best answer: I think it's a high-bush cranberry! See here, and control-F for cranberry (about halfway down the page).
posted by rtha at 3:13 PM on September 4, 2010
posted by rtha at 3:13 PM on September 4, 2010
Best answer: I think rtha's got it. Leaf type (maple-looking) & placement (opposite) match, berries match.
posted by scalefree at 4:30 PM on September 4, 2010
posted by scalefree at 4:30 PM on September 4, 2010
Response by poster: Awesome! I had my suspicions that it was a highbush cranberry but I'm a total noob at plant identification so I wanted to be sure before eating it.
If anyone else comes into the thread, I would still appreciate any tips on how I can identify plants on my own or recommendations of books for plant noobs like me - after all I have only 52 questions here a year and probably more than 52 species of various plants to identify!
posted by Meagan at 5:16 PM on September 4, 2010
If anyone else comes into the thread, I would still appreciate any tips on how I can identify plants on my own or recommendations of books for plant noobs like me - after all I have only 52 questions here a year and probably more than 52 species of various plants to identify!
posted by Meagan at 5:16 PM on September 4, 2010
I often end up online trying to identify a plant or insect. I'm interested enough in birds to have my own copy of the Peterson guide. They have Peterson guides for plants and insects, and I'm sure they would be eminently useful as well.
For proper horticultural questions, consider your local extension office. The extension office in my county holds office days, one day a week when you can bring in leaf samples and they'll tell you what it is.
Mostly I end up Googling phrases like "berry Pacific Northwest" or "berry identification Washington" or (as this morning) "giant wasp Washington."
posted by ErikaB at 6:53 PM on September 4, 2010
For proper horticultural questions, consider your local extension office. The extension office in my county holds office days, one day a week when you can bring in leaf samples and they'll tell you what it is.
Mostly I end up Googling phrases like "berry Pacific Northwest" or "berry identification Washington" or (as this morning) "giant wasp Washington."
posted by ErikaB at 6:53 PM on September 4, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Meagan at 3:05 PM on September 4, 2010