I have always liked these little white berries. In the late fall, when most trees and mushes lose their leaves, they stay like little white ornaments on dark, skinny twigs.
I used to pop them when I was little. They are very juicy and make a funny cracking sound when stepped on. :p
Symphoricarpus albus
They are also called snowberries, which makes a lot of sense. They also stay on the bush throughout the winter and blend with the snow.
Native to North America, they seem to quite like European weather too and can be found. I often see the bush being used as a hedge or as a decoration bush in parks. Many grow freely in woods, such as this one here.
The flowers are small and pink, and I am sure I have seen them before. Much smaller than the berries and kind of hide among all the green leaves. The berries are the most attractive part.
They are poisonous to humans, so do not even try to eat them. They shouldn't kill you, but they will cause vomiting.
Despite that, some animals do feed on them in the winter, and many birds rely on them as food sources.
Birds will wait to eat the fruits until after the berries have frozen, which may break down some of the toxins. This is a late winter “starvation time” food for them.
source
The bush I found on my walk still had the leaves on, but when they all drop, it will look really pretty.
You can see a blackberry bush tangled in between. It is a thick and nasty mess. A great hideout for smaller birds and insects.
And don't foregut the wild roses. Add them too, because the thorns on blackberries are not enough. :p
Lovely mess!
The rosehips are very good to make tea and they are packed with vitamin C. Just saying :)
Shot with Nikon D5500 + Tamrom 70-300mm lens
All photos and text are my own.
