|
Deer Berry
Vaccinium stamineum L.
(vak-SIN-ee-um sta-MIN-nee-um)
Syn. Polycodium stamineum |
|
|
General:
This is a deciduous
shrub that sometimes grows into a small tree to 5 m. (15 ft.). The
common name, Deer Berry, is used because it is a favorite browse
material for white tailed deer. The species name, stamineum,
refers to the flower’s noticeable yellow stamens.
The fruit is quite
tasty to humans and wildlife, such as deer, black bears, ‘possums,
squirrels and a large variety of birds. Our state bird, the
mockingbird, is one of the major fruit eaters. It makes an
excellent landscape plant on well drained, acid soils.
Flowers/Fruit:
Dainty white,
cup-shaped flowers hang like ballerinas with yellow stockings.
The mass of bright yellow stamens hang below the petals.The fruit
is a typical blueberry, starting out whitish green, then turning from
red to purple and black as it ripens.
Leaves/Stems:
Alternate, simple, with
entire margins, the 2-8 cm. (1-3 in.) long leaves increase in size as
they grow toward the branch tips. The oval to elliptic leaves are
whitish green below with margins that have tiny spreading hairs.The
twigs are often slightly pubescent.
Distribution:
It prefers open woods
with acid soils in pinelands and mixed uplands throughout north and
central Florida southward to Martin County. It ranges from
Georgia to Louisiana, Minnesota and Maine.
|
|
|
