Bearberry is a prostrate, mat-forming evergreen shrub found across boreal and alpine zones of the Northern Hemisphere. Its bright red berries persist through winter and are a critical food for bears, ptarmigan, and grouse. The leathery leaves turn bronze-red in autumn, and the plant was widely used medicinally by indigenous peoples.
Habitat
Boreal forests, alpine tundra, rocky barrens, and sandy soils
Diet
Berries eaten by bears, grouse, ptarmigan, foxes, and small mammals
How common
Common
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