Cross Timbers

Gateway from forest to prairie

5th poster of the
Biodiversity of Oklahoma series

Buckbrush

Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

Family: Caprifoliaceae
Additional common name: coralberry

Shrub to 1 m (3 ft) tall. Leaves opposite, elliptic to suborbicular, 2-6 cm (0.8-2.4 in) long and 1-3.5 cm (0.4-2.4 in) wide, base cuneate to rounded, acute to obtuse at apex, usually entire. Flowers in spicate axillary clusters of several small greenish flowers. Fruits in axillary clusters of small pink to purple drupes. The species is rhizomatous and forms large colonies in forested areas.

Distribution: Native to eastern United States westward to Nebraska and Texas.
Habitat: upland and bottomland forests, sometimes in prairies.
NWI status: FACU
Comment: Coralberry is one of the most common plants in the forests of Oklahoma. Symphoricarpos is derived from a Greek phrase referring to the clusters of fruits; orbiculatus refers to the round leaves.

From the Catalog of the Woody Plants of Oklahoma by Johnson & Hoagland.

back to species list

PDF of all species profiles

The Biodiversity of Oklahoma poster series is a project of the Oklahoma Biological Survey and the University of Oklahoma.
For more information contact the Priscilla Crawford, at prill@ou.edu or 405-325-7658.