EDIBLE AND POISONOUS BERRIES OF SHRUBS IN WYOMING Brian Sebade areas in southeastern Wyoming Berries should only be consumed yoming hosts many different and the western half of the state. with expert guidance. Wshrubs. Some have edible de- The berries are not edible and are Whitestem gooseberry, Ribes licious and nutritious berries every poisonous to humans. Plants are inerme. This shrub is found in most fall, and some have berries poison- generally 2 to 5 feet in height. Wyoming mountain ranges except ous to humans. Can you identify Bog blueberry, Vaccinium oc- in the Bighorn Mountains and the which of these not-so-common cidentale. This plant is found at Wyoming Black Hills. The dark Wyoming native berries are safe high-elevation, riparian areas of purple, almost black berries are ex- and edible and those that are not? northwest Wyoming. This shrub cellent when eaten fresh or cooked. Western baneberry, Actaea rarely exceeds 3 feet in height and Plants have spines and alternat- rubra. This shrub is found grow- has an alternating leaf arrangement ing simple palmately lobed leaves. ing in moist soils throughout much on the stem. This plant produces Plants enjoy moist areas of mid- and of Wyoming. Plants are generally dark blue to purple berries similar high elevations and reach heights of 2 to 3 feet high and have bright to commercial blueberry varieties 2 to 4 feet. red- to white-colored berries held in the supermarket. The delicious, Rocky Mountain gooseberry, upright. The berries are poisonous edible berries generally ripen in Ribes montigenum, is a shrub with to humans. This plant is a member August and early September. bright-red berries when ripe. This of the buttercup family. Leaves can Elderberry, Sambucus racemo- plant is found throughout most of be confused with leaves of other sa, this shrub reaches 5 to 6 feet Wyoming, often at high elevations shrubs with edible berries. in height. There are three varieties growing in rocky soils. Flowers are Black twinberry honeysuckle, of this shrub in Wyoming, with the generally pink in color. The stems Lonicera involucrata. This shrub most common recognized by red of this plant have spines, and the has large elliptical leaves arranged berries. This plant enjoys moist simple palmately lobed leaves are opposite from each other on the soils of mountains and forests in alternately arranged on the stem. stem. Berries are dark purple when Wyoming and has beautiful white The berries can be eaten fresh or ripe and hang in groups of two. This flowers in the spring. The berries made into jams or jellies. are poisonous until cooked properly. plant is found in moist mountainous (continued page 27)

FALL 2017 25 Western baneberry Bog blueberry Chokecherry

Elderberry Grouse wortleberry Rocky Mountain gooseberry

Serviceberry Twinberry honeysuckle Whitestem gooseberry

26 BARNYARDS & BACKYARDS Chokecherry, Prunus virgin- on the upper two-thirds. To some, the iana, is a small tree-to-large shrub berries taste similar to blueberries. of Wyoming. Plants are a member Berries start out reddish pink and of the cherry family and produce a turn dark blue to purple when ripe. If small, edible cherry with a large pit. grown at home, shrubs need netted Plants are recognized by bright white or the birds will eat them all. Stems flowers during the spring, bright red and bark are a deep brown to reddish berries during the summer, and a color. This shrub is an important win- dark purple to black-colored berry ter forage for wildlife. in the fall. These plants enjoy moist Grouse wortleberry, Vaccinium soils for at least part of the growing scoparium, is a low-growing shrub season. Leaves are simple and have found growing in mountains and small teeth on the leaf margins. The foothills. Plants produce a dark red to pits can be poisonous if eaten in large pink-colored berry. Berries are small, quantities. yet very delicious eaten raw. Leaves Serviceberry, Amelanchier alni- are quite small, from 0.5 to 1.5 centi- folia, is a medium to large shrub with meters in length. Plants mostly grow simple leaves. The leaves have teeth under forest canopies of moist soils.

Questions? Contact University of Wyoming Extension educator Brian Sebade at (307) 721-2571 or [email protected].

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