Oso BerryOemleria cerasiformisHeight: 15' average mature height Zones: 6-8 Find my zone Aspect: mostly shade to mostly sun, full sun in cooler climates Watering: needs occasional summer irrigation, about one deep watering cycle per month once established Maximum Water: tolerates wet soils with occasional summer flooding Habit: clump forming with multiple stems Flowers In: February Foliage: deciduous Native To: CA, OR, WA
Size Availability
Out of season.
quart - 10 to 12 inches tall - $8.50 each 1 gallon - $19.99 each
Our main crop of most plants is available starting in late fall.
Additional batches of plugs and quarts are added throughout the year.
Many of our plants are propagated in limited quantities and can sell out quickly when posted, get on the notification list below so you don't miss out. Add your email to be notified as soon as we have them back in stock:
This does NOT subscribe your email to any mailing lists, our system will only send an inventory notification message.
Oso (Bear) Berry, also known as Bird Berry and Indian Plum, is a small tree native to the Pacific coast and is one of the first plants to start blooming in the spring. Around late February or early March clumps of drooping white flowers emerge from the base of the new growth and add a splash of white and lime-green to an otherwise dormant garden. As the summer progresses the female trees produce purple fruit which provide an excellent fall and winter food source for birds. Although the fruit are edible to humans they can be bitter if picked unripe so be sure to wait until they are soft, they should also be eaten in small quantities because large volumes of fruit can cause an upset stomach.
Oso Berry trees have separate male and female plants so at least one of each are necessary for fruit production. Since these are grown from seed we don't know which plants are male or female until they bloom so for fruit production you should plant at least three or four trees.
![]() Spring flowers and new growth
Source: Commons
![]() Spring flowers and new growth
Source: Commons
![]() Ripening fruit
Source: Commons
Packing Plants For ShippingWe pack our plants depending on the needs of each species and size, most plants ship best with the roots packed in moist sawdust or bark fines but some species don't like root disturbance and are shipped in a soil-less growing media.![]() Excess soil is washed from the roots in preparation for shipping (18-24" White Pines) ![]() Plants are bundled together to fit in boxes ![]() Bundles of plants are secured in long boxes. Plant Sizes![]() 3 gallon Dawn Redwood ![]() Standard quart shrub ![]() Standard 14-18" multi-stem tree size ![]() Standard deep plug pine tree Bamboo Plants Are Shipped In Their ContainersBamboo roots are not flexible and so plants have to be shipped in their containers. These plants are heavier and are shipped separately from bare root plants. Because they are potted they can handle longer transit times so can ship via UPS Ground instead of USPS Air Mail. Potted plants can also be shipped year-round.We regularly top our 1 gallon bamboo plants at 24-30 inches tall throughout the growing season. This results in dense, bushy foliage while allowing for economical shipping. From this size most running species will grow to 5-6 feet tall in the first spring and clumping species will usually grow to 4-5 feet tall. ![]() 1 gallon bamboo plants strapped in and ready to be sealed. Unpacking Bare Root PlantsYou will be sent tracking details as soon as your plants are shipped. Unpack your plants as quickly as possible after they are delivered. We use two types of boxes, side-sealing and top-sealing. For boxes that are taped along the whole length you can cut the tape on either side and remove the plant bundles by cutting the tape holding the bundle to the bottom. For boxes that are sealed on the top and bottom, it is easiet to open the bottom of the box (the shipping label is at the top) and pull the bundle of plants out straight out. Check that the box is empty as there can be a second bundle of plants stuck towards the top.![]() A bundle of trees. What if I am not able to plant right away?You can usually leave the plants in their shipping container unopened for 1-2 days if there were no shipping delays and you have received your plants from late November through February. Plants shipped when it is warmer can't stay in their packages for as long.For longer term storage of plants you can pot them up or plant them in rows close together temporarily and then pull them out later in the spring to be planted again. This keeps the roots moist while allowing for air flow to the tops. The roots should have good contact with the soil to ensure they have access to adequate moisture. |
Size Availability
Out of season.
quart - 10 to 12 inches tall - $8.50 each 1 gallon - $19.99 each
Our main crop of most plants is available starting in late fall.
Additional batches of plugs and quarts are added throughout the year.
Many of our plants are propagated in limited quantities and can sell out quickly when posted, get on the notification list below so you don't miss out. Add your email to be notified as soon as we have them back in stock:
This does NOT subscribe your email to any mailing lists, our system will only send an inventory notification message.
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