With most deciduous trees and bushes devoid of leaves (save some species of oak (Quercus)) the green background of the forest has morphed into muddled shades of brown and gray. But if you look hard enough the lack of foliage reveals a rich crop of fruits that wintering birds, mammals (and the occasional human) can harvest in the depths of Winter. And unlike more seasonal fruits, their colors of reds, blues, grays, purples and black pop out of the dull landscape inviting the eye to further investigate.
The squirrels started early this year on my crabapple (Malus spp.) tree as they hopped from branch to branch pawing the shriveled red fruits on slender stems. They spun each one in their paws before consuming it and then spitting out the pit. By mid October the tree was empty of crabapples, which is unusual as its tiny orbs typically persist well into March being among the least tasty of Winter fruits. Belonging to the same botanical family are myriad species of roses (Rosa,) which proffer colorful rose hips throughout most of the Winter. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) bushes with their large clusters of bright red berries lose their fruits first, often before Christmas, by the occasional robin or as happened in my garden a few years back by a huge flock that stripped my bushes within five minutes.
Rose hips
Perhaps the most pervasive bush with red berries is the highly invasive Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) with its oblong-shaped shiny red drupes that hide its frequent and sharp thorns. Birds dine on these fruits freely in the Fall and Winter scattering their seeds nearby ensuring their spread. The berries of the black and red chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa/arbutifolia) appear as much smaller versions of the domesticated bing cherry (Prunus avium.) The larger fruits of the black chokeberry have a dark purple-black tint while those of the red variety are a very glossy red. Both can be eaten by people, though only after being cooked.
Two of the most colorful bushes to my eye are the beautyberry (Callicarpia) and Winterthur viburnum (Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’.) While the American variety of beautyberry is hardy only to Maryland, its Japanese counterpart (Callicarpia japonica) can be found throughout a good portion of New England. Its smallish and vibrantly purple berries are clustered along its stems and can be made into a tart albeit tasty jam. The fruits of the Winterberry are more pendulous, hanging as would excessively grouped bluish ornaments around the perimeter of its branches. Its grape-like fruits support the first snow in the shape of an elfin cap creating the illusion of tiny, inverted cornucopias. Some may disagree with these favorites, however, after seeing the staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) with its persistent and spectacular cone of tightly massed red berries.
Beautyberry
And no discussion of December fruits would be complete without the evergreen hollies (Ilex) that are typically associated with Christmas. Unlike many plants, they are sexed meaning that flowers cannot be pollinated and generate a fruit unless a male counterpart is nearby. Some nurseries solve this problem by putting both a male and female plant in a single pot to ensure intimacy. In most gardens, females with berries often outnumber males without; one of the most popular is the Blue Princess (Ilex meserveae ‘Blue Princess’) variety, which deer tend to devour. Less popular is the native American type (Ilex opaca,) which deer tend to ignore. Another plant requiring a male to fruit is the semi-evergreen bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) whose silver-gray fruits cluster on its stems throughout the Winter. A favorite of catbirds and bluebirds, wax extruded from the berries of this bush are used for candles that are a seasonal favorite.
Finally, there is the aptly named Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides,) which is the only fern that stays green this time of year. Though it has no berries, its wide, deep-green fronds continue to remind us that Spring will arrive within a few months.
