Alkaline-Tolerant Berry Plants

American Cranberry

• The American cranberry bush (Viburnum trilobum) is a native shrub that produces clusters of white flowers in June and small red berries that can last through the winter. The berries can be made into jelly and have also been used to make ink. The dark green leaves have three lobes that turn bright red in the fall, if the shrub is growing in a sunny spot. American cranberries are hardy in Zones 3 and 4. Although American cranberry bushes prefer an acid\ic or neutral soil, they tolerate alkaline soils reasonably well, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Buffaloberry

• The buffaloberry is a thorny native shrub that does well in alkaline and salty soils. Since it can fix nitrogen, it also tolerates infertile soils. Buffaloberry is tolerant of drought, and doesn’t do well in poorly-drained areas. The gold berries have a tart taste, but they turn sweet if allowed to ripen to a bright red color, and can be used to make jellies and jams. Several species of songbirds usually eat the berries before they become ripe. These shrubs often grow in solid thickets that are very recognizable because of their silvery-gray leaves. They can be grown in winter-hardiness zones 3 through 7.

American Elderberry

• The American elderberry bush is a native shrub that produces white flowers in June and small purplish-black berries late in the summer. The tart, seedy berries grow in clusters and are used to make wine, pies and jelly. In addition to being tolerant of alkaline soils, elderberry bushes tolerate cold and shade, although the bushes don’t produce as much fruit when grown in the shade. Grow American elderberry in zones 3 and 4.

Gooseberry

• Gooseberry bushes produce tart or sweet berries that are yellow-green, dusky purple or red, depending on the variety. The berries can be picked when they’re hard and green, and used to make pies and jam. The branches of gooseberry bushes are covered with thorns that grow about an inch long. Gooseberry bushes can be grown almost anywhere in the United States except in the southwestern deserts and the valleys of inland California, but it’s illegal to grow them in a few states including Idaho, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont and Washington, unless you have a special permit. That’s because they’re an alternate host of white pine blister rust. In addition to being tolerant of alkaline soil, they tolerate a bit of shade.