maleberry, Lyonia ligustrina

If you see a Lyonia bush in bloom, you might think in a few weeks you'll have a nice blueberry snack. The two species are much alike. But you will be disappointed. Lyonia fruit are about the same size as those berries, but are dry hard capsules. Hence the maleberry name, or the even less fortunate he-huckleberry. Maleberry grows in much the same habitat as blueberries and huckleberries in AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, and WV. Beal Gardens, MSU, 6/24/12. Heath family, Ericaceae.