THE MONTH OF RED BERRIES

The time has again come when the question most often asked is, "What is that bush we saw down the road with the bright red berries on it?"

It is usually safe to guess either Mountain Ash or Red Elderberry although there are some fifteen plants in the Park that now have or will soon develop a fruit which is a red berry.

However, the Mountain Ash, (Sorbus sitchensis or Sorbus occidentalis, both species are found), or the Western Red Elderberry, (Sambucus callicarpa) make the most striking display at present.

The elderberry is especially confusing to Park visitors because most people are familiar with the blue elderberry and have difficulty believing that an elderberry can be red.

Another conspicuous berry at present is the large spike shaped fruit of the Devil's Club (Echinopanax horridum), the spiny, huge leafed plant found in marshy places. A few other plants with conspicuous red berries are the Canada dogwood or bunchberry, the Red Huckleberry, and the Thorny Crab Apple.

By F. W. Schmoe, Park Naturalist.