# Coralberry (*Ardisia crenata*) Coralberry is a fun plant that grows bright red berries! It has shiny green leaves and can be found in gardens and parks. The berries are not for eating, but they look beautiful and attract birds. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 15 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Coral Berry ![Coralberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ardisia_crenata_HabitusFlowersFruits_BotGardBln0906.JPG&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ardisia_crenata_HabitusFlowersFruits_BotGardBln0906.JPG) ## Appearance The Coralberry is an evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green leaves that have wavy edges. It produces small, star-shaped white flowers in summer, followed by striking clusters of bright red berries that often last through winter, making it visually distinct. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Primulaceae - **Genus:** Ardisia ## Interesting facts - Despite being pretty, eating its bright berries can make you feel ill! - In some warm places, this plant is considered super invasive! - It's also known as "Christmas berry" because of its festive look! - Its vibrant red berries can stay on the plant for over a year! ## Special abilities - **Winter Berry Supply:** Coralberry has bright red berries that stay on its branches all winter, helping it provide food for birds when other plants are bare. - **Evergreen Powerhouse:** Coralberry has shiny, dark green leaves all year long, which helps it make food from sunlight even in colder months. - **Shade Dweller:** Coralberry can grow well in shady spots, helping it thrive in forests where sunlight is limited for other plants. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-200 cm - **Spread:** 50-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Eats persistent berries in winter. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Mockingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-mockingbird) (*Mimus polyglottos*) — Feasts on the bright red fruits. - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits small white flowers for nectar. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not eat the berries, as they are not safe for people. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Coralberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Coralberry? 50-200 cm ### How wide does Coralberry spread? 50-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on Coralberry? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Coralberry bloom? Summer ### Is Coralberry edible? No ### Is Coralberry toxic? Moderate ### What is Coralberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Botanical Research Institute of Texas](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/botanical-research-institute-of-texas) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Fort Caroline](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-caroline) — Florida, US · National Park - [Heathcote Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/heathcote-botanical-gardens) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Aldie Mill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aldie-mill-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Blue Springs Heritage Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blue-springs-heritage-center) — Arkansas, US · Botanical Garden - [East Main Street Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-main-street-commercial-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District [View all places to see Coralberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/coralberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Coralberry: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coralberry)