Question: Can you identify this tree with red berries. I am in southern Vermont and saw it today while on a …
-
Question
Can you identify this tree with red berries. I am in southern Vermont and saw it today while on a walk. I tried to get a photo of the bark but it came out too blurry to use, so I'm hoping the photo of the berries themselves is sufficient. The second photo shows some of the berries above what I believe is an epiphyte. Can you tell me more about that as well? Thank you so much.
Answer
Dear lmc825, good afternoon. It looks as though you have photographed a species of Ilex (winterberry). These shrubs have persistent +/- red fruits with sepals that remain on the proximal part of the fruit (where they attach to the pedicel). If you examine the sepals with magnification, you can determine if the margin is ciliate (Ilex verticillata) or if it is without cilia (Ilex laevigata). Best wishees.
