Deerberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deerberry |
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V. stamineum
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| Vaccinium stamineum L. 1753
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Synonymy
Polycodium ashei Harbison
Polycodium candicans (C. Mohr) Small Polycodium depressum Small Polycodium floridanum (Nuttall) Greene Polycodium leptosepalum Small Polycodium macilentum Small Polycodium melanocarpum (C. Mohr) Small Polycodium neglectum Small Polycodium stamineum (Linnaeus) Greene Vaccinium caesium Greene Vaccinium melanocarpum (C. Mohr) C. Mohr ex Kearney Vaccinium neglectum (Small) Fernald Vaccinium stamineum var. affine (Ashe) Sleumer Vaccinium stamineum var. austromontanum (Ashe) Sleumer Vaccinium stamineum var. interius (Ashe) E. J. Palmer & Steyermark Vaccinium stamineum var. melanocarpum C. Mohr Vaccinium stamineum var. neglectum (Small) Deam Vaccinium stamineum var. virginianum (Ashe) Sleumer |
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Vaccinium stamineum, often called the deerberry, is a cool plant that's part of the heath family, just like blueberries! It has many other fun names too, like tall deerberry, squaw huckleberry, highbush huckleberry, buckberry, and southern gooseberry. You can find this plant growing naturally in North America, including parts of Canada (like Ontario), the eastern and central United States, and even some areas of Mexico. It's especially common in the southeastern parts of the U.S.
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What Does It Look Like?
The deerberry plant is a type of shrub. It usually grows to be about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can even reach up to 3 meters (10 feet)! It has several twisted main stems covered in bark that peels off. The plant has many branches that get thinner towards the ends.
Leaves and Flowers
Deerberry plants lose their leaves in the fall (they are deciduous). The leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are thin and yellowish-green. Sometimes, they feel a bit hairy or waxy, especially on the underside. Each leaf is oval-shaped with a pointed tip and smooth edges. They can be up to 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) long.
The flowers hang down in clusters from where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower has five green parts called sepals. The petals are fused together to form a bell shape and are white. They are about half a centimeter (0.2 inches) long. Inside the flower, you'll see long, yellow parts called stamens sticking out. These stamens hold the pollen. The central part of the flower, called the style, is even longer than the stamens.
The Fruit
After the flowers, the plant grows round berries. Each berry is about a centimeter (0.4 inches) wide. They start out greenish or yellowish and often get a purple tint as they ripen.
Where Does It Grow and How Does It Live?
Deerberry plants usually like to grow in dry, rocky places. You can find them in forests and open fields. But sometimes, they also pop up in wet areas like bogs and swamps. They prefer soil that is a bit acidic and drains water well. This plant is also good at surviving wildfires. It often grows alongside other plants that can handle fire.
How It Spreads
Deerberry plants can grow from seeds. They also spread using woody underground stems called rhizomes. One plant can create a whole thicket that looks like many separate plants. Because most of the plant's body is underground, it can easily survive a fire. The parts above ground will just grow back!
Food for Wildlife
The berries of the deerberry plant are quite large for a Vaccinium species. They are a very important food source for many wild animals. Deer love to eat the berries, twigs, and leaves. This is why the plant is called "deerberry" or "buckberry"! Smaller animals like chipmunks and squirrels gather the fallen berries from the ground. Many songbirds, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, and wild turkey also enjoy them. Even bigger animals like foxes, raccoons, and black bears eat these berries.
Pollination
Bees help to pollinate the deerberry flowers. The main bee that does this is called Melitta americana. Bees use a special technique called "buzz pollination" to shake the pollen out of the bell-shaped flowers while they collect nectar. This plant can sometimes host the blueberry maggot, which is a small insect that can be a pest for blueberry farms.
Can Humans Eat It?
Yes, the deerberry fruit is safe for humans to eat! People describe the taste as tart, sour, or even a bit bitter. Some say it has a "sweet-spicy" taste. The skin of the berry can often be bitter. However, in some areas, you might find plants that produce berries with a much nicer taste. For a long time, people in the southern United States have collected deerberries to make preserves and pie fillings.
