Empetrum nigrum

Black crowberry

Family: Empetraceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Black crowberry is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native shrub found in northern coastal California, specifically Del Norte and Humboldt counties, growing on coastal cliffs at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces small flowers with delicate stamens. Growing with decumbent branches 15 to 40 centimeters long, it forms a low-spreading ground cover with dense foliage. Its leaves are crowded and compact, measuring 3 to 6 millimeters long, glabrous except along the leaf groove. The fruit is a distinctive black or purple-black berry, occasionally red, and measures 4 to 6 millimeters wide.

Habitat: Coastal cliffs on rocks

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: < 200 m

Bioregions: n NCo (Del Norte, Humboldt cos.)

California counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Alameda, Alpine

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.