Black crowberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black crowberry |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Empetrum
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| Species: |
nigrum
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The crowberry, also known as black crowberry or Empetrum nigrum, is a cool plant from the heather family. It grows in many cold, northern parts of the world, like a big circle around the top of the Earth. You can also find it far south in the Falkland Islands.
Scientists believe that migratory birds help spread crowberry seeds. These birds fly long distances, carrying the seeds from one place to another. This helps the plant grow in many different areas.
Crowberries can change how they work in winter. This helps them survive when it gets warmer than usual during the cold months.
What Does a Crowberry Look Like?
The crowberry is a low-growing, evergreen shrub. This means it stays green all year round. It likes to spread out along the ground.
- Its leaves are small, about 3 to 6 millimeters long. They are arranged one after another along the stem.
- When the stems are young, they are red. As they get older, they turn brown.
- The plant blooms in late spring, usually between May and June. Its flowers are tiny and not very easy to spot. They have greenish-pink parts that later turn reddish-purple.
- The fruits are round and about 4 to 6 millimeters wide. They are usually black or purplish-black, but sometimes they can be red. These fruits are called drupes, which are like small berries with a single seed inside.
Growing and Using Crowberries
Crowberries can grow well in acidic soil and in places that are a bit shady and moist.
- People sometimes grow crowberries for their fruit. The fruit has a tart, slightly acidic taste.
- It can also be used as a ground cover plant, which means it spreads out and covers the soil.
- Some people plant crowberries in their rock gardens because they look nice. There's even a special type called 'Lucia' that has yellow leaves.
- The fruit is full of a natural color called anthocyanin. This pigment can be used to make a natural food dye.
For people living in very cold, northern areas, like the Inuit and Sami people, crowberries have been a very important food for a long time. The Denaʼina people in Alaska also gather crowberries for food. They sometimes store a lot of them for winter, often mixing them with lard or oil.
Crowberry fruits are usually picked in the fall. But if they are not picked, they can stay on the plant all winter and still be gathered in the spring.
The crowberry plant is also a food source for several types of moths. These include the Black Mountain moth, Mountain Burnet moth, and Broad-bordered White Underwing moth.
Images for kids
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The yellow-leaved type of crowberry called Empetrum nigrum 'Lucia'
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Alaskan crowberry growing in a cold, high-up area
See also
In Spanish: Camarina negra para niños
