Coralberry, Indian Current, Snowberry, Waxberry, snapberry, buckleberry

Coralberry Facts

Plant Description

Coralberry is an erect, slender, low-growing, spreading, evergreen, glabrous, thicket-forming shrub that normally grows about 6 ft. (180 cm) tall and 4-8 feet wide, but is typically 3–4 ft. (90–120 cm) tall.  The plant is found growing in thin rocky woodlands, woodland openings, woodland borders, power line clearances in wooded areas, thickets, and limestone glades, freshwater wetland, treed swampy wetland, lowland forest, foothills forest, forby forest, damp forest, granitic hill slopes, rocky outcrop shrubland, western plains woodland,  semi-arid woodland, alluvial plains woodland, freshwater wetland and shaded woods.

The plant performs well in sandy, loamy, and clay soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Normally it prefers acid, neutral and alkaline soils. The root system consists of a woody branching taproot. Twigs of slender and at first scruffy brownish-green, later darkening to a reddish-brown with very fine peeling strips; scales present where new branches emerge and single bundle scars. The branches are erect to ascending and arching, slender with light brown to purplish bark on young stems and brownish-gray and shreddy on old stems. Young twigs have soft hair.

Leaves

The leaves are oval or ovate-shaped and arranged oppositely along the branches. The blades of the opposite leaves are up to 2 inches long and 1¼ inches across. They are oval-ovate and the margins are without lobes or teeth but the margin may be wavy. Both tip and base are of obtuse shape. The upper surface of each leaf blade is medium green and hairless to slightly pubescent, while the lower surface is whitish-green and usually has fine hair, particularly on the veins and the leaf edge. Each leaf has a short petiole up to ¼ inches long. Leaf venation is pinnate.

Flower

The inflorescence is tight cluster of very small flowers in the axils of some of the leaf pairs – generally toward the tips of the stems. The flowers have a bell shaped corolla with five lobes, which may be whitish, yellowish or tinged in purple; the lobes do not spread widely when the flower is open. The calyx is green with five pointed teeth which persist onto the drupes. The reproductive parts include 5 stamens which surround a bearded (hairy) style. Each flower is about 1/4 inch long.

Fruit

Each fertile flower is replaced by an ovoid to globose berry-like drupe that is pink to coral red (from which comes the common name) to reddish-purple in color, and about 1/4 inch long. The drupes are usually so densely packed that the shape is often flattened. The top end of the drupe has a short beak. The texture of their flesh is fleshy but not juicy. Fruit sometimes persists through the winter. Each drupe contains a single stony seed. Seeds are hard, egg-shaped, flattened on one side, white and smooth. Rarely, you might find a plant that bears white fruits.

Traditional uses and benefits of Coralberry

• A decoction of the inner bark or leaves has been used as a wash in the treatment of weak, inflamed or sore eyes.
• A cold decoction of the root bark has been used as an eyewash to treat sore eyes.
• The root is considered anodyne, depurative, and febrifuge and is used to stimulate blood circulation.
• In traditional Chinese medicine, roots are used for the treatment of tonsillitis, toothaches, pain?. সহজ বাংলা: জয়েন্টের ব্যথা।" data-rx-term="arthralgia" data-rx-definition="Arthralgia means joint pain. সহজ বাংলা: জয়েন্টের ব্যথা।">arthralgia?, respiratory infections, and menstrual disorders.
• In Kampung Bawong, Perak, West Malaysia, juice from the crushed whole plant is used to treat fever? and earaches.

Few Interesting Facts

• Plants can be grown as a hedge or informal screen.
• Plants have an extensive root system and also sucker freely; they can be used for soil stabilization.
• The flowers provide nectar for bees, wasps, and flies.
• Foliage supports a number of moth caterpillars. The berries provide winter food for birds, including the Bobwhite and Robin.
• Coralberry can be a problem plant in pastures, hayfields, and roadsides.
• Native Americans apparently crushed this plant, pushed it into stream water, and used it to stun fish that could then be collected downstream from the water’s surface.

Precautions

• Fruits are toxic to people, causing nausea? and vomiting? if eaten in large enough quantities.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using the herb.

References