wolfberry
(Symphoricarpos occidentalis)
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Biology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | not listed |
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| NatureServe | N5? - Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Wetland Indicator Status |
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| Great Plains | UPL - Obligate upland |
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| Midwest | UPL - Obligate upland |
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| Northcentral & Northeast | FACU - Facultative upland |
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Description |
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Wolfberry is a low, bushy shrub that rises from rhizomes and forms dense thickets. Young twigs are pale green to light red-brown and are covered with short hairs or, rarely, are hairless. Older twigs develop gray-brown, shredding bark. The leaves are opposite, thick, and leathery. They are egg-shaped to oblong egg-shaped, 1″ to 3″ long, and ⅔″ to 2″ wide. The margins are untoothed or have a few coarse, irregular, blunt or rounded teeth. The upper surface is hairless, the lower surface often has short, stiff hairs at least along the main veins. The inflorescence is dense, short spikes of stalkless flowers rising from the upper leaf axils and at the ends of branches. The flowers are urn-shaped with 5 white to light pink, spreading petals and 5 protruding stamens. The fruit is a white to greenish white, berry-like drupe containing two seeds. The fruits turn purple in the fall. |
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Height |
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Up to 40″ |
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Flower Color |
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White to light pink |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Moist. Prairies, moist low ground. |
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Biology |
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Flowering |
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Late June to August |
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Use |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 7/24/2023 | ||||
Nativity |
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Native |
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Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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| Kingdom | Plantae (green algae and land plants) | ||
| Subkingdom | Viridiplantae (green plants) | ||
| Infrakingdom | Streptophyta (land plants and green algae) | ||
| Superdivision | Embryophyta (land plants) | ||
| Division | Tracheophyta (vascular plants) | ||
| Subdivision | Spermatophytina (seed plants) | ||
| Class | Magnoliopsida (flowering plants) | ||
| Subclass | Caryophyllidae | ||
| Superorder | Asteranae | ||
Order |
Dipsacales (honeysuckles, moschatels, and allies) | ||
Family |
Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) | ||
| Subfamily | Caprifolioideae | ||
Genus |
Symphoricarpos (snowberries) | ||
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Synonyms |
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Common Names |
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western snowberry wolfberry |
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Glossary
Axil
The upper angle where the leaf stalk meets the stem.
Drupe
A fleshy fruit with a single hard, stone-like core, like a cherry or peach.
Rhizome
A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.
Visitor Photos |
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Dan W. Andree |
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Here are some Wolfberry plant and a male regal on one ….photos taken on a prairie preserve in Norman Co. Mn. 7-10-23 |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Plant |
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Inflorescence |
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Flower |
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Leaves |
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Infructescence |
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Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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