Description: Deciduous shrub from 1.5 to 5m tall. Bark is purple-brown, leaves are oval-shaped, and white flowers dangle in clusters. Berries ripen red, orange, then purple.
Habitat: Open woods, streambanks, and rich mixed woodlands on mesic to moist soil.
Pairs with: Salmonberry, thimbleberry, currants, red alder, and maples.
Fun Fact: Also known as Juneplums, the small “plums” are worth a try, and the leaves smell and taste like cucumber. These are among the very first flowers of spring, and are a welcome sight to pollinators and people alike at the end of a long winter.