Buffaloberry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Buffaloberry |
||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shepherdia argentia, western Nevada
|
||||||||||||
Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
See text. |
The Buffaloberries (Shepherdia) are a genus of small shrubs which have rather bitter tasting berries, native to North America. They are eaten primarily by bears and are presumably so popular with bears because they contain a molecule that helps to keep fat on the body which is useful for the winter season. The genus has three species:
- S. argentea - Silver Buffaloberry
- S. canadensis - Canada Buffaloberry
- S. rotundifolia - Round-leaf Buffaloberry
Buffaloberries are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including The Engrailed and Coleophora elaeagnisella.
Buffaloberries are edible by humans. They are quite sour, and afterwards leave the mouth a little dry. The berry is recognizeable by being a dark shade of red, with little white dots on them. They are rough to the touch, and found on both trees and shrubs. While not indeginous to any certain area, they are quite easy to find in most wooded areas of Connecticut.