Description

A beautiful landscape shrub with silver foliage, yellow flowers and white berries. Prefers well drained soils but in these conditions can tolerate intermittent flooding, hence being found on hillsides and higher up on steeper river banks as well as meadows, woodland edges and prairies. The fruit and seeds are edible and high in minerals and vitamins A, C and E, but are generally considered more palatable to wildlife. In survival situations however, a much valued menu item because it its fruits are among the few to possess valuable fatty acids. Birds and ungulates eat the berries and bud tips and use the shrubbery for cover and nesting sites. It is a non-legume nitrogen fixer and so can help improve soil quality and improve production of other plants in its vicinity. The fibrous bark can make cordage and was woven into cloth by indigenous people. A plant with many talents!