"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 7 Oct 2003 15:30:10 -0400, "Neil"
wrote:

There's a picture at

http://www.panix.com/~nradisch/blueberries.jpg

On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 16:56:41 -0400, "Neil"
wrote:

Ok, here's a closeup

http://www.panix.com/~nradisch/blueberries2.jpg

On 13 Oct 2003 22:29:13 GMT, (Marley1372)
wrote:

Its definitley a viburnum, probably Viburnum lentago. Definitley not a
buckthorn because the berries are way too blue.


Hi Toad,

Try comparing what you suggested (viburnum lentago) to this
link:

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrol...s/vlentago.htm

It doesn't look the same to me...

The best I've been able to come up with is Ovalleaf
Huckleberry or Bilbery (vaccinium ovalifolium). See:

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrol...valifolium.htm

http://www.esveld.nl/htmldiaen/v/vaoval.htm

I suspect that it is some type of vaccinium. From what I
could find out most of the blueberries grown as commercial
crops came from the vaccinium varieties.

Looking inside the drupe for seeds and counting them (if
there are any) could be helpful in identifying. How tall
this speciman is and diameter of the trunk would be useful
too. It is hard to tell from the images.

Another possibility (already suggested?) are the
Huckleberry's from gaylussacia. Possibly gaylussacia
baccata. The leaves look to be too big for this though. See:

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrol...aylussacia.htm

http://www.bbg.org/sci/nymf/encyclop...i/gay0010b.htm

The oval leaf shape in the images that Neil provided and the
apparent size (too big for most suggestions?) ruins many
suggested identities...

I have quite a few good shrub/tree books and this doesn't
seem to be in any of them. Maybe Neil can provide a little
history/background. Was this tree planted or did it occur
naturally. Any guess on how old it might be? That could be
useful in eliminating named species of recent origin. I
haven't given up, but I have pretty much exhausted my
current resources...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

Funny this has become an obsession with me as well. The closest I could
come up with was viburnum or vaccinium but the although the berries are the
right color - the calyx are not right and the stem colors are not right. Are
the berries very fleshy like a type of service berry? They almost look more
crabapple like than berry like or possible wild cherry like but blue??
I can't google any more. I as well have many North American native plant
books, edible plant books and shrub books that I cannot find these in - so
is it really wild in NA??
Be nice to see someone solve this mystery!!
Have you tried bringing it in to a local nursery or College. There must be a
well versed horticulturalist in the area.