Plant: Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)

Lemonade Berry is native to the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges and the South Coast regions of Southern California. The flowers which appear from February to May are small, clustered closely together, and may be either bisexual or pistillate. The mature fruit is sticky, reddish, covered with hairs. Its berries can be used to make lemonade flavored drinks (hence its common name).
Lemonade Berry原產於橫向山脈(Transverse Ranges)和半島山脈(Peninsular Ranges)以及南加州的南海岸地區。從二月到五月出現的花很小,緊密地簇生在一起,可能是雙性的或有雌蕊的。成熟果實粘稠、微紅、覆蓋著毛。它的漿果可用於製作檸檬汁味道的飲料(這是它俗名的由來)。

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Photo Date: 2023.01.19 Location: Santa Fe Dam, California
Photo Date: 2023.01.27 Location: Santa Fe Dam
Photo Date: 2023.02.15 Location: Santa Fe Dam
Photo Date: 2023.03.07 Location: Santa Fe Dam
Photo Date: 2023.02.21 Location: Los Angeles Arboretum

Notes 筆記

  • Rhus integrifolia, also known as lemonade sumac, lemonade berry, or lemonadeberry, is a shrub to small tree. It is native to the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges and the South Coast regions of Southern California. This extends from Santa Barbara County and the Channel Islands to San Diego County and extending into north-central Pacific coastal Baja California and its offshore islands such as Cedros Island.
  • It tends to grow upright (10- 30 feet tall), but sprawls next to beaches. It is often found in coastal canyons below elevations of 900 meters, where it sometimes dominates entire hillsides.
  • Leaves are toothed with a waxy smooth appearance above and a paler tone below. The flowers which appear from February to May are small, clustered closely together, and may be either bisexual or pistillate. These fragrant flowers exhibit radial symmetry with five green sepals, five white to rosy-pink petals, and five stamens. The mature fruit of Rhus integrifolia is sticky, reddish, covered with hairs. The elliptical fruit presents tight clusters at the very ends of twigs.
  • Many plants within this genus are considered toxic, although some reports indicate the berries of this species can be used to make lemonade flavored drinks (hence its common name). Allergic reactions may also result from skin contact with sap from some of the genera.
  • Lemonade berry leaves are rich in tannins. Even though the species is evergreen, there is some leaf fall in autumn, at which time the fallen leaves may be used as a brown dye or mordant. An oil can be extracted from lemonade berry seeds; moreover, this oil achieves a tallow consistency when left to stand. Thereafter the oil can be employed to manufacture candles, which burn brightly, albeit emitting a pungent scent. The wood of mature plants is dense and hard, making it prized for wood-burning fireplace kindling.
  • Rhus integrifolia can also be used as a landscape shrub and is suitable for hedging and espalier. The plant is vulnerable to frost, but often the plant will regrow by summer. This species is quite resistant to deer, and supplies nectar and fruit for birds and nectar for butterflies.
  • Rhus integrifolia,也稱為檸檬汁漆樹、檸檬汁漿果或檸檬汁莓,是一種灌木至小喬木。它原產於橫向山脈(Transverse Ranges)和半島山脈(Peninsular Ranges)以及南加州的南海岸地區。從聖塔巴巴拉(Santa Barbara)縣和海峽群島(Channel Islands)延伸到聖地亞哥縣,並延伸到中北部太平洋沿岸的下加利福尼亞州及其近海島嶼,如塞德羅斯島(Cedros Island)。
  • 它傾向於直立生長(10-30英尺高),但會蔓延到海灘附近。它經常出現在海拔900公尺以下的沿海峽谷中,有時它會佔據整個山坡。
  • 鋸齒狀的葉子上面有光滑的蠟狀外表,下面較淺色。從二月到五月出現的花很小,緊密地簇生在一起,可能是雙性的或有雌蕊的。這些芬芳的花朵呈放射狀對稱,有五個綠色萼片、五個白色到玫瑰粉色的花瓣和五個雄蕊。Rhus integrifolia 的成熟果實粘稠、微紅、覆蓋著毛。橢圓形的果實在細枝的末端呈現出緊密的簇狀。
  • 雖然一些報告表明這個物種的漿果可用於製作檸檬汁味道的飲料(這是它俗名的由來),但這個屬中的許多植物被認為是有毒的,皮膚接觸這個屬的某些物種汁液有可能引起過敏反應。
  • 它的葉富含單寧,雖然它是常綠植物,但秋季會有一些落葉,此時落葉可用作棕色染料或媒染劑。它的種子也可以提取油,這種油在靜置時會達到動物性油脂的稠度,因而可以用來製造蠟燭,雖然會散發出刺鼻的氣味,但燃燒起來很明亮。成熟植物的木材緻密而堅硬,因此非常適合用作燃木壁爐的引火物。
  • 它也可用作景觀灌木,適用於綠籬和樹籬。這種植物很容易受到霜凍的影響,但通常會在夏天前重新生長。它對鹿有很強的抵抗力,能為鳥類提供花蜜和水果,為蝴蝶提供花蜜。

References 參考資料

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