Arctous alpina
A circumpolar dwarf shrub with black berries.
Arctous alpina, also known as alpine bearberry, mountain bearberry, or black bearberry, is a dwarf shrub in the heather family Ericaceae. Its basionym is Arbutus alpina L..
Quick Facts
- Species
- alpina
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The leaves wither in autumn but remain on the plant for another year.
- The plant flowers in June.
Description
This procumbent shrub has a woody stem and straggling branches, usually under 6 inches tall. Its alternate leaves are stalked, oval with serrated margins and a network of veins, withering in autumn but persisting for another year; they often turn red to scarlet in autumn. Flowers appear in groups of two to five, white or pink and urn-shaped, about 3 to 5 mm long, with five sepals, five fused petals bearing five small projecting lobes, ten stamens, and a single carpel. The spherical fruits, 9 to 12 mm long, start green, then red, and become glossy black and succulent when ripe.
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