inkberries
Small black fruits
Inkberries are the dark purple-black fruits of certain shrubs, particularly the inkberry holly native to eastern North America.
The name comes from the berries' ink-like juice, which was historically used as a dye.
The plant itself is also called inkberry—an evergreen shrub often used in landscaping for hedges and borders.
Small woody plant
- evergreenRetains foliage year-round
- hollySpiny-leaved winter shrub
- hedgeBoundary of planted shrubs
- nativeOriginating from a place
wetlands · acidic soil · understory · foliage · leaves · ornamental · perennial · landscaping
Color-imparting material
- indigoPlant-derived blue dye
- stainingApplying dye or pigment
- colorfastDye resists fading
- mordantCuttingly critical in expression
dyebath · textile · fabric · tannin · natural dye · fixative · dyeing · writing
Aggregate fruit from thorny canes
- elderberrySmall dark hedgerow fruit
- mulberryMorus tree fruit
- chokeberryAstringent North American shrub fruit
- sloeAstringent wild drupe
huckleberry · bilberry · black cherry · beautyberry · nightshade · ligustrum · viburnum · wild grape
Capable of causing death
- toxicCapable of causing harm
- inedibleUnfit for consumption
- dangerousApt to cause harm
- harmfulCausing damage or injury
caution · children · pets · nausea · vomiting · ingestion · warning · bitter
Seek food actively
- songbirdsPerching birds with musical calls
- cedar waxwingFruit-eating North American songbird
- mockingbirdSound-copying songbird
- bluebirdAzure-backed North American thrush
thrush · browse · deer · small mammals · frugivore · habitat · cover · nesting
shrub
Small woody plant
native · wetlands · acidic soil · understory · foliage · leaves · ornamental · perennial · landscaping · garden
pigment
Color-imparting material
mordant · dyebath · textile · fabric · tannin · natural dye · fixative · dyeing · writing · marking
blackberry
Aggregate fruit from thorny canes
- elderberrySmall dark hedgerow fruit
- mulberryMorus tree fruit
- chokeberryAstringent North American shrub fruit
sloe · huckleberry · bilberry · black cherry · beautyberry · nightshade · ligustrum · viburnum · wild grape · serviceberry
poisonous
Capable of causing death
harmful · caution · children · pets · nausea · vomiting · ingestion · warning · bitter · unpalatable
forage
Seek food actively
- songbirdsPerching birds with musical calls
- cedar waxwingFruit-eating North American songbird
- mockingbirdSound-copying songbird
bluebird · thrush · browse · deer · small mammals · frugivore · habitat · cover · nesting · overwintering