Autumn's Berry Trees
Berries of Elderberry, Hawthorn, Dogwood, Holly & Yew Brighten Fall
Fall brings not just the reds and yellows of turning leaves, but also the bright colors of berries on many common trees.
If the drama of fall leaf color draws you out for a country drive, try stopping for a walk through a park to explore the trees up close. You’ll discover that with some of them, color comes not only from leaves, but also from berry-like fruits that appear in autumn. Many trees produce berries in shades from muted to brilliant. While not edible for humans, the berries draw birds by the dozens and hundreds to feast on the fall offerings and add their chatter to the crisp autumn air.
The following trees bearing colorful (but non-edible) fall fruits and berries are found in parks and open spaces in many parts of the United States:
Hawthorn
Comprising the genus Crataegus, hawthorns are found throughout most of North America. Clusters of berries appear in fall in colors from orange to dark red. Hawthorns are small, generally shrubby trees with dense foliage. They are distinctive for the thorns on their branches. Among the most commonly seen is the English Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata).
Mountain Ash
Members of the genus Sorbus, Mountain Ashes include the Rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia), native to Europe but seen widely in North America. Their abundant berries are much-loved by a variety of birds. Most berries are red, but at least one species, the Snowberry Mtn. Ash (Sorbus discolor) has white berries. While the Snowberry is native to China, it is seen planted elsewhere. Mtn. Ashes are distinctive for their leaf stems with seven to 15 narrow leaflets growing in opposing rows and ending in a single leaflet at the stem tip. They grow as far north as Alaska and Greenland.
Dogwood
Members of the genus Cornus, dogwoods are favorite park and garden trees with their cheerful spring flowers in wide-open bracts. But come fall, they put on a new show with clusters of red, orange, purplish and white berries, depending on the species. Dogwoods are small trees, distinctive for leaf stems and twigs that grow opposite one another rather than alternately on the branch. Species vary, but most have white flowers in spring.
Holly
The genus Ilex includes our familiar evergreen Christmas holly with its festive red berries. There are dozens of Holly species, but English Holly is among the most common, easily recognized by its prickly, deep-green leaves. Holly is dioecious, with separate male and female trees. It is the female that displays the berries. Brought inside, Holly stays fresh a long time, enhancing its popularity for Christmas decorating.
Elderberry
The genus Sambucus has a long history in folklore, lending broad familiarity to the Elderberry name. The Blue Elderberry is widespread and, as its name suggests, it produces berries of a distinctive blue color in fall. Another species, the Red Elderberry, grows along the Pacific Coast and bears red berries, no less beautiful in their clear, bright color. It’s a relatively small tree with leaf stems bearing opposing rows of narrow leaflets, similar to the Mountain Ash. Children often hollow out the twigs for flutes.
Yew
Of the genus Taxus, Yews are conifers. But unlike other conifers, berries, rather than cones, grow on the females of these dioecious trees. In the woods, they look like already decorated Christmas trees. Yews are small conifers with needles growing flat along the sides of the twigs. Some, such as the Pacific Yew, are scrubby, while others, such as the American Yew and Japanese Yew, are beautifully shaped with deep, shiny green foliage. It should be noted that all parts of this tree are toxic.
