Monday, December 20, 2010

Winterberry

This is an American Winterberry tree that I photographed at Cheesequake State Park on Saturday. These shrubs look unremarkable at other times of year, but they bear bright red berries through the winter. They provide a burst of color when most other plants look brown.

I do not recall ever seeing birds eat a winterberry's berries, but I have read that they provide a source of winter food in addition to their showy appearance.