Seen throughout the eastern United States, the common winterberry sports dense clumps of small red berries on its bare branches in the winter. A variety of deciduous holly, this attractive shrub loses all of its leaves after the first frost. The winterberry can grow up to 15 feet tall and is a popular addition to yards and gardens. In the winter, its bright fruit becomes a valuable food source for many small mammals and more than 45 species of birds.
Native to most of the United States and Canada, the common juniper produces seeds that are not quite what they seem. The blackish-blue berries that adorn the juniper’s evergreen branches are actually small conifer cones. With tightly merged scales and a fleshy appearance, the seeds resemble, and are commonly referred to as, berries. Their bold color and distinctive, astringent flavor make them irresistible for a variety of birds and even some humans.
Perhaps the most aptly named of nature’s fruiting plants, the American beautyberry is a vivid sight throughout the southeastern United States. In late summer, small purple berries begin to grow in rounded clusters along the shrub’s drooping branches. Popular with many varieties of birds, the berries get snatched up in autumn with some persisting through winter. A native perennial, the beautyberry grows well in lush environments and can reach a height of eight feet. Its attractive berries and vigor make it a favorite for many gardeners.
Named for the sudsy froth produced by a compound found in its fruit, the soapberry tree can grow as tall as 50 feet. Sometimes called western or wingleaf soapberry, this deciduous tree bears golden yellow berries in the fall that remain throughout the winter. Though poisonous to consume, the berries have been used to make soap in various tropical regions around the world. In the United States, soapberry grows across the southern half of the country, from Arizona to South Carolina.