Fruit of the Season

Either this year is a very good year for my alternate-leaf dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) in terms of fruit or I just happened to notice it at just the right time. The fruit sometimes fails to develop and I find aborted clusters on the ground. This year the tree is loaded with tiny fruits in a variety of colors and the birds are having a grand time.

The ripening fruits of alternate-leaf dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)

Around the corner, the blueberries are ripening as well and we are harvesting about a bowl per day. I’m sure the critters are getting a few of those too but there are plenty for everyone. Clearly my Southeastern blueberry bees did a great job with pollination this spring.

Cultivated blueberries (perhaps 'TifBlue')

In the less successful pollination department, only a few paw paws are developing on my 3 trees. It appears that it is the later flowers that are bearing the fruit (I was watching!). Are they blooming before the flies emerge? I’ll have to watch carefully in late August if I want to beat the critters to these tasty fruits; they got them last year.

Doll's eye (Actaea pachypoda)

Paw paw (Asimina triloba)

Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides

Nature provides for a succession of fruit during our seasons: the serviceberries (Amelanchier) are long gone; the wild cherries and plums have just finished up; the viburnums are still green; elderberries and blueberries are ripening; and the beautyberries (Callicarpa americana) have just started to flower.

I’ve written about edible and wildlife-friendly fruit before. Visit these previous blogs for more info: edible fruits in Georgia, fall fruits (including for wildlife), and specifically the paw paw.  

I like to appreciate native plants in all stages of growth: flowers, fruit, foliage, winter garb. Now seemed like a good time to celebrate some summer fruits. Enjoy!