Or at least I think it's a native. I'm fairly sure it's deciduous. The berries on it are fully ripening at this time. There are no thorns. It has multiple trunks but appears to be planted by seed and is not a suckering, thicket type plant. It's very common in my area.
closeup of leaves
berries
I was going to say Elbowbush, but the close up of those leaves doesn't look right.
Are you sure the picture of the leaves is of the same shrub? they look different from the ones close to the fruit.
There are many of these shrubs in this one area of woods. Some are loaded with berries and some have none. I believe they are all the same bush but I've noticed the leaves are somewhat yellower on the ones with berries. I was thinking some were male and some were female and maybe that the ones with berries possibly used up more nutrients to make the fruit thus have more yellowish leaves. The leaves can slightly vary from one limb to another, some with rounded tips and some with more pointed tips.
I think it is Elbowbush, Forestiera pubescens, here is a link, tell me what you think.
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/bio406d/images/pics/ole/forestiera_pubescens.htm
Josephine, you are absolutely correct. Every picture in that link was right on the money. I think I missed photographing the blooms earlier in the spring so I'll catch them next year. I guess I'm seeing both males and females since some have fruit and some don't. It's about 50/50. Thanks very much for the great detective work. More mystery plants coming.
By George I think shes got it.
You are welcome, it makes me happy when I can help solve a mystery.
I don't think I've ever seen that bush. Is the fruit edible?
As far as I know it is not, but the birds do like it.
How many of us have at least,....a little,....Elbow room?
The reason some of the leaves don't look right is because there is some kind of smilax growing in there, hence the confusion on the closeup of the leaves. Elbowbush berries are edible.
Thank you Linda, I didn't know that the fruit is edible.
Maybe I should add that there is disagreement among experts on edibility, but having heard that it was often used to flavor chewing gum back in the old days and also that many kinds of wildlife eat it, I have tried it myself with no bad results. So to be conservative here, don't sample many.
I actually tasted the berries and they start off sweet then there's a bitter aftertaste. The birds can have them.
You're amazing frostweed
