Buffalo berry (Shepherdia argentea)
Buffalo berry (Shepherdia argentea)
A native of the USA, the buffalo berry is an unusual, large and attractive shrub.
Though usually smaller the buffalo berry
can eventually get to 4 m high given the right conditions, anything in full sun, though it tolerates pruning well.
It is one of the hardiest wild fruits, pretty though, with whitish stems, thin silvery leaves and a few sharp spines. It does, however, need a male and a female to get the berries, which are usually oval and red and hang in clusters much like Redcurrants. For those who have the room, would work well as a hedge, shelterbelt or in the wildlife garden as it's a good nitrogen aswell.
As the name implies, it was once used by early settlers to make a jelly to eat with buffalo, possibly not too useful now, but tasty with other meats as well. Good for sweets too, keeping their flavour, (which is quite acid and said to be improved by a touch of frost) when dried.
Please note, these are single sexed plants so they require a male and a female to produce fruit and our plants are seedlings so of unknown sex!