This weekend, Macaulay Honors sophomores took park in a BioBlitz, cataloging flora and fauna at Alley Pond Park. With the help of biologists, we were able to identify plants and animals in the park and engage with nature in a way many do not get to. I was assigned to the plant group and was tasked with identifying shrubs. Shrubs are plants with multiple woody stems coming from the same place and have leaves. Some shrubs have flowers, while others have fruits, both, or other reproductive mechanisms.
Look at this Viburnum setigerum found at BioBlitz2017! This shurb is actually native to China and its leaves can be brewed for tea #bcsfh2o pic.twitter.com/qc1DCXIMA7
— Matt Denaro (@mattdenaroMHC) September 11, 2017
My favorite shrub that we found was the Viburnum setigerum shown above. Its a shrub that both flowers and produces fruit. Its fruit comes around the fall, so these berries are quite premature and need a bit more ripening. It reminded me of the bushes that produce round, red berries that were poisonous outside of my elementary school. However, these berries, according to one of the assistants are edible. Also, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden, the leaves can be made into tea.
Upon further research into this plant from Missouri Botanical Garden, I found out that Viburnum setigerum is not native to New York, but Central and Western China. Assuredly, NYC Parks put a lot of thought into what they were going to plant in Alley Pond Park so it should be assumed that this plant, although not originally from here, can live healthily in the ecosystem of Alley Pond Park and contribute to the biodiversity of the park without damaging the ecosystem it inhabits.
