| Sparkleberry, or Farkleberry, is an uncommon large shrub or small tree of woodland edges. It's the largest of our blueberries, though Black Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum) can get almost as big. The small, thick, lustrous, smooth, mostly-evergreen leaves with tiny red buds make sparkleberry fairly easy to ID. Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.
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| Small bell-shaped flowers appear in mid-May, followed by small black berries in fall. Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.
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| Jasper Co., SC.
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| Jasper Co., SC.
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| Bladen Co., NC 10/19/2008.
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| The small berries are shiny and black when ripe. Bladen Co., NC 10/19/2008.
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| Some leaves stay green throughout the winter. Chatham Co., NC 1/4/2004.
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| The bark of some larger specimens can be nearly smooth. Chatham Co., NC 1/4/2004.
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| Wake Co., NC 6/4/2005.
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| Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.
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| The bark may break up into peeling flakes. Jasper Co., SC.
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