General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Soil pH Preferences: Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Moderately alkaline (7.9 – 8.4)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 2 -45.6 °C (-50 °F) to -42.8 °C (-45°F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: 3 to 6 feet
Plant Spread: 5 to 6 feet and more from suckering
Leaves: Good fall color
Deciduous
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Fruiting Time: Fall
Late fall or early winter
Flowers: Inconspicuous
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Fall
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Uses: Provides winter interest
Erosion control
Groundcover
Will Naturalize
Edible Parts: Fruit
Wildlife Attractant: Birds
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Rabbit Resistant
Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Other info: This plant self seeds.
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Cuttings: Tip
Layering
Division
Offsets
Pollinators: Bees
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • Coralberry
  • Buckbrush
  • Bird's Eye Bush
  • Indian Currant
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
  • Synonym: Symphoricarpos symphoricarpos

Photo Gallery
Location: Brownstown Pennsylvania
Date: 2018-06-25
Location: Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois in Birch Collection
Date: 2016-07-18
a planted mass
Location: Batavia, Illinois
Date: autumn in 1980's
close-up of fruit on nursery plant
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Brussels)
Location: Our Yard, near Central Iowa
Date: 2015-09-28
Location: Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin, Texas
Date: 2022-04-05
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Date: 2017-10-09
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Brussels)
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Brussels)
Location: Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois
Date: 2016-07-18
shrub in Caprifoliaceae Collection
Location: Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois
Date: 2016-07-18
the summer leaves
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-11-26
a wild shrub along a run
Location: Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois
Date: 2018-08-22
the small flowers
Location: Brownstown Pennsylvania
Date: 2018-06-19
Location: Lilburn, GA
Date: 2020-06-18
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Photo courtesy of Joy Creek Nursery
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-11-26
close-up of fruits
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-11-26
fruits on wild shrub
Location: Yard, near Central Iowa
Date: 2015-09-28
Location: Molly Hollar Wildscape Arlinton, Texas.
Date: Fall 2010
The berries on this shrub are great winter food for birds.
Location: Botanical Garden Meise
Date: 2016-03-12
Location: Molly Hollar Wildscape Arlington, Texas.
Date: 2012-01-25
A lovely group of plants.
Photo by Bubbles
Location: Mercer Botanical Garden  Houston, Tx
Date: 2014-05-19
Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Dec 22, 2017 6:16 PM concerning plant:
    This is an interesting native lower growing, twiggy shrub that is sort of like a shorter honeysuckle. It is native from southern New England to northern Georgia to east Texas & Oklahoma & Kansas & Nebraska to northwest Wisconsin to spots in southern Michigan to areas of New York in upland woods and meadows to along stream and creek banks. Its tiny, opposite leaves are bluish-green and get 1/2 to 1.25 inches long. It only develops a green-yellow fall color. It bears pretty clusters of red to coral to purple to magenta berries in October into January. It is fast growing. It has a shallow, fibrous root systems that freely suckers into thickets. It is a good shrub for birds with fruit and cover. There is a cultivar of 'Hancock' that only grows 2 feet high and a cultivar of 'Leucocarpus' that bears white fruit.
  • Posted by robertduval14 (Milford, New Hampshire - Zone 5b) on Dec 19, 2013 11:49 AM concerning plant:
    An important 'bird food' plant.
Plant Events from our members
Chillybean On September 26, 2015 Obtained plant
Put in the ground
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