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Indian Currant Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
sim-fo-ri-KAR-pos or-bik-EW-lah-tus
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Coralberry is a native dense suckering deciduous shrub in the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family.  Grows to 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide with graceful arching stems. It is commonly found in forests or natural areas of bottomland woods of eastern and central USA.

This easy to grow shrub in average well-drained soils of various types. Coralberry prefers full to partial sun, moist to dry conditions and loamy or rocky soil. While the leaves are an attractive bright green, the greenish white flowers are not showy.  They are however followed by attractive pink-purple fruits.  Coralberry is colonial and it needs more than one genetic strain to fruit.  Propagate the plant through semi-hardwood cuttings.  If spreading is not desired then remove the underground stems (rhizomes).  

This is a great shrub for naturalized areas or an informal shrub border. Use this native it as a groundcover and plant it on a slope for erosion control. Its dense branching growth provides cover and the flowers and fruits provide food attracting a wide variety of wildlife.  Its unique shredded bark provides winter interest in the landscape. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  It has weedy tendencies. This plant is heavily browsed by deer.

 

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#poisonous#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#interesting bark#easy to grow#deciduous shrub#native shrub#cover plant#winter interest#slopes#erosion control#NC native#poisonous fruits#deer browsing plant#pink fruits#native groundcover#purple fruits#food source fall#hairy stems#food source herbage#bird friendly#nectar plant late spring#dry soils tolerant#food source soft mast fruit#nectar plant early summer#FACU Piedmont Mountains#Coastal FACU#bee friendly#Audubon#dense growth#fruits late fall#fruits winter#weed#pollinator garden#collier preserve tn#woodland
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#poisonous#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#interesting bark#easy to grow#deciduous shrub#native shrub#cover plant#winter interest#slopes#erosion control#NC native#poisonous fruits#deer browsing plant#pink fruits#native groundcover#purple fruits#food source fall#hairy stems#food source herbage#bird friendly#nectar plant late spring#dry soils tolerant#food source soft mast fruit#nectar plant early summer#FACU Piedmont Mountains#Coastal FACU#bee friendly#Audubon#dense growth#fruits late fall#fruits winter#weed#pollinator garden#collier preserve tn#woodland
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Symphoricarpos
    Species:
    orbiculatus
    Family:
    Caprifoliaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southeastern and central U.S.A.
    Distribution:
    AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV
    Wildlife Value:
    Songbirds, ground birds, small mammals, and browsers like white tailed deer use this plant for food, cover, and nesting sites. Various moths use this as a host plant. Necatar from the flowers attract bees, wasps, and flies.
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Cover/Habitat
    Wildlife Food Source
    Wildlife Larval Host
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Heat, drought, and soil compaction tolerant.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ground Cover
    Native Plant
    Poisonous
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Dense
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil pH:
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Purple/Lavender
    Red/Burgundy
    White
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Winter
    Fruit Type:
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Clusters of 1/4 inch long red-purple round berry-like drupes with two seeds appear in autumn and persist through the winter. Displays from September to December.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Green
    Insignificant
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Spike
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Bell
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    The bell-shaped 1/4" flowers with a tubular corolla with 5 lobes appear in summer in clusters at leaf axils and in terminal spikes. Not particularly showy. Blooms from late spring to early summer.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Red/Burgundy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    1-2 inches long and 1 to 1.25 inches across oval green leaves with rolled margins and rounded to broadly pointed tips. Undersurface is whitish with hairs. Petioles are 1/4 long, leaf venation is pinnate. Reddish fall color.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Surface/Attachment:
    Shaggy
    Shredding
    Bark Description:
    Lower branches have strips of brown loose shaggy bark
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Purple/Lavender
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Brown to red-purple branchlets covered with short hairs
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Naturalized Area
    Slope/Bank
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Hedge
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Pollinators
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Erosion
    Heat
    Problems:
    Weedy
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Vomiting, diarrhea
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Calcium oxalate and possibly saponic glycoside
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Fruits