Shepherdia argentea - (image 1 of 2)
Taxonomy
Family: Elaeagnaceae
Habitat
River-banks and canyons. Sand dunes.
Associates
Distribution
MN and IA, west British Columbia to NM. Has become naturalized in some parts of WI.
Morphology
Suckering shrub or small tree to 6 m. Branches stiff, often with short thorny tips. Leaves opposite, silvery, oblong to lanceolate, narrowed to the base. Dioecous. Flowers in small clusters on the growth of the previous season; stamens 8. Fruit red, 6-9 mm, sour.
Notes
Flowers April to May
Wetland indicator: Upland?
This plant is not really native to the northeastern U.S., occurring naturally just west of the Chicago region. This plant was photographed at the Morton Arboretum. The fruit of this species is edible but sour.
References
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of
Northeastern United States
and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Freckmann Herbarium. Shepherdia argentea.
http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/scripts/detail.asp?SpCode=SHEARG
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Michael Hough © 2005 |