What Kind of Berries Are These?

[ghostguy6]

Found them in the river valley and I couldn't positively identify them from 3 different books. I think its some form of honeysuckle. The books say the berries range in groups of 2-5 but every bush I found only had bunches of 2 so it has me confused. I didn't think of getting a cross section of the stock at the time either.

[bonedogg]

not high bush cranberries it seems.

[ghostguy6]

Forgot to mention the berries ranged in size for about 1 - 1.5 cm cross.

[threeforthree]

looks like a chokecherry

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by threeforthree

looks like a chokecherry

I think they might be to red for choke cherries. My first thought was pin cherries.

Did you taste them?

BW

[Fatso1234]

Could try this https://www.albertaparks.ca/media/3337/tracktre.pdf
https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/5654...bs-alberta.pdf

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

I think they might be to red for choke cherries. My first thought was pin cherries.

Did you taste them?

BW

I agree pin cherries

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

I agree pin cherries

Think they might be... I always found pincherries growing in pairs.

[JareS]

Originally Posted by ghostguy6

Found them in the river valley and I couldn't positively identify them from 3 different books. I think its some form of honeysuckle. The books say the berries range in groups of 2-5 but every bush I found only had bunches of 2 so it has me confused. I didn't think of getting a cross section of the stock at the time either.

Are the margins finely toothed or smooth? If they're smooth its not Pin Cherry or Choke Cherry

[ghostguy6]

Its definitely not choke cherry. I was picking those when I came across these berries. I dont think they are pin cherries either. The edge of the leaves were smooth. Pin cherries also seem to hang down from the stem while these berries are tight to the stem. Pin cherries are also smaller, 5-8 mm while these berries are 10-15 mm. I did do a simple taste test, the berry was quite bitter, not sour like a cherry. I will try to go back tomorrow and get better pictures.

[fisher Gord]

look up soap berry

[Strix]

You are correct; this is not pin cherry or choke cherry. Both pin and choke cherries have alternate leaves and this clearly has opposite leaves. I too am leaning towards a honeysuckle but can’t pin it down to species. I suppose it could even be an ornamental that has escaped
and established itself in the river valley. See Morrow and Amur Honeysuckles for example.

[CBintheNorth]

Tartarian Honeysuckle, also known as Bush Honeysuckle. Not edible.

[ghostguy6]

Originally Posted by Strix

You are correct; this is not pin cherry or choke cherry. Both pin and choke cherries have alternate leaves and this clearly has opposite leaves. I too am leaning towards a honeysuckle but can’t pin it down to species. I suppose it could even be an ornamental that has escaped
and established itself in the river valley. See Morrow and Amur Honeysuckles for example.

I think this is the correct answer. I was leaning towards honeysuckle myself but could not be sure. I showed these pictures to a friend who has been picking and making jams for over 40 years and she agreed honeysuckle of some variety but not the any local kind based on the size of the berries.

Thanks to everyone that replied.

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by fisher Gord

look up soap berry

Not a soap berry, they have different leaves. We were eating them about 3 weeks ago.