Plants & Nature

Alpine bearberry

Alpine bearberry is easiest to recognise in autumn, when shiny black berries lie scattered among bright red, wrinkled leaves.

Alpine bearberry

Tags: Berries Description: Alpine bearberry is easiest to recognise in autumn, when shiny black berries lie scattered among bright red, wrinkled leaves. Alpine bearberry grows in mats, often up on the ridges, since it needs plenty of light. When there is no long-lasting snow cover, it can flower early in spring, so that it has time to produce fruits and seeds before the season ends. The leaves are inversely egg-shaped and slightly wrinkled because the leaf veins are so prominent. Fairly early in autumn the leaves turn bright red, but they stay on for a long time before they fall off. The dead leaves help to insulate against cold and wind. Use: In autumn the plant also produces black berries, which are good food for ptarmigan. Habitat type: The mountains Edible: No Written by: LĂŠrke Stewart

, via Wikimedia Commons](Rypeb%C3%A6r/Rypebr.jpeg)

Alpine bearberry. Photo: Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

, via Wikimedia Commons](Rypeb%C3%A6r/Rypebr_hst.jpeg)

Alpine bearberry in autumn. Photo: Eike sauer, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons