We have this beautiful old Farkleberry tree which is about 15′ tall, that as drought tolerant as they are reported to be, I think has finally succumbed to our prolonged dry conditions. The picture here is during “better times”. I sincerely hope it recovers.
The native Farkleberry, Sparkleberry Vaccinium arboretum, is another really great addition to our environment. It offers something neat for every season. An understory, deciduous plant, this perennial is mostly found as a large shrub, but as you can see, under the right conditions can grow upwards to 25′ with a spread to match.
In the spring it has white flowers that resemble little bells, that ripen to dark blue berries in the fall, along with beautiful red fall foliage. In the winter, the twisted exfoliating bark is striking colors of red and gray.
It attracts pollinators, Bobwhite Quail, American Robins and small mammals.
