spectabilis – sightly (Latin), as in remarkable or showy, probably referring to the flowers

Native range: W. North America

Leaves:

• alternate
• ternately compound Terminal leaflet stalked and largest
• lower leaflets pinched together suggest butterfly shape
• doubly serrate

Flowers:

• solitary
• pink, purplish red
• delicate
• nodding
• many pistils

Fruit:

• aggregate of drupelets
• ranging in color from yellow to red
• “Salmon berry” color ranges from salmon-colored to pink when ripe

Other characteristics:

• rhizomatous shrub (may be considered aggressive by gardeners and foresters)
• deciduous
• peeling bark on older stems, slender thorns on younger

Relevant info:

• important food for Native Americans and First Nations, though mushier and less sweet than other native berries

Ecology & Adaptations:

• crest in Washington, Alaska south to California, east to Idaho.
• found in lowland moist woods and swamps to mid- elevations in the mountains
• often abundant along stream edges and avalanche tracks, as well as on river terraces, gravel bars and in forest openings
• often forming dense, clonal thickets via rhizomes
• vegetative reproduction:
  • via rhizomes and layering
  • can spread as downward arching aerial canes become buried by litter, subsequently root, and produce new aerial shoots
• pollination:
  • by hummingbirds
  • flower nectar provides food for pollinators, such as bees and other insects, as well as rufous hummingbird.
• seed dispersal:
  • consumption by birds and large mammals, especially, disperse seeds after exposing them to acids that weaken seed coat and aid water absorption and germination
  • long period of fruiting (2 months) increases chances of seed dispersal by animals
• wildlife:
  • food and cover for birds and mammals
  • leaves and young shoots are eaten by deer, elk, mountain goats, moose
  • stem, foliage, cambium, and bark eaten by rabbits, porcupine, and beaver
  • fruit eaten by coyote, black bear, grizzly bear, and many smaller mammals, as well as a variety of birds, including the ruffed grouse, northern bobwhite, and various thrushes and towhees
  • seeds consumed by mice and other small rodents
• succession – responds rapidly to disturbance, establishing as a pioneer species and spreads via rhizomes
• tolerates low-oxygen conditions – vegetative reproduction through rhizomes enables species to spread in low-oxygen conditions of wetlands
• resistant to fire:
  • following fire, re-sprouts vigorously from the stump, root crown, stem base or root stock, and from a dense network of rhizomes below ground
  • seeds remain viable in soil for years and germinate in large numbers after fire
• shade tolerant – vegetative reproduction maintains colonies in shaded forest understory
• develops on nitrogen-rich soils