As one walks the Arboretum trails in late December and early January, the fruits of a variety of woody plants and vines can be seen. Our native Dogwood, American Holly and Greenbriar are found along with several non-native, invasive plants, such as Oriental Bittersweet, Chinese privet, and Amur Honeysuckle. Some of these fruits, such as those of the Dogwood provide food for a variety of birds (e.g., robins, cedar waxwings) and small mammals. Six of the more common winter fruits found at the Arboretum are described below.

Left: Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Right: Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
Left: American Holly (Ilex opaca)
Right: Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense)

Left: Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
Right: Greenbriar species (Smilax sp.)

Return to Shrubs and Vines List