wolfberry

(Symphoricarpos occidentalis)

Conservation Status
wolfberry
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5? - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

UPL - Obligate upland

     
  Midwest

UPL - Obligate upland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACU - Facultative upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

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 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.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

Up to 40

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

White to light pink

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Moist. Prairies, moist low ground.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

Late June to August

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  7/24/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  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)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

western snowberry

wolfberry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 
 

Here are some Wolfberry plant and a male regal on one ….photos taken on a prairie preserve in Norman Co. Mn. 7-10-23

  wolfberry  
           
    wolfberry   wolfberry  
           
    wolfberry      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Plant

 
    wolfberry   wolfberry  
           
    wolfberry      
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    wolfberry   wolfberry  
           
    wolfberry   wolfberry  
           
 

Flower

 
    wolfberry   wolfberry  
           
    wolfberry   wolfberry  
           
 

Leaves

 
    wolfberry      
           
 

Infructescence

 
    wolfberry   wolfberry  
           
    wolfberry   wolfberry  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

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Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this plant.

 
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Be sure to include a location.
 
  Dan W. Andree
7/10/2023

Location: a prairie preserve in Norman Co. Mn.

Here are some Wolfberry plant and a male regal on one ….photos taken on a prairie preserve in Norman Co. Mn.
7-10-23

wolfberry  
           
 
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