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Bearberry
(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi )
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Bearberry © Andrew Gagg/Plantlife
A trailing shrub, it has black berries and delicately-veined leaves that turn red in autumn.
The cup-like flowers are an important nectar source for bees, moths and other insects in late spring.
Distribution
Confined to Scotland north of the Great Glen, but is common on the bare hills of the Orkney island of Hoy, notably on the path to the famous Old Man of Hoy rock stack.
Habitat
Moors.
Best time to see
Flowers from May to June
County flower of Aberdeenshire and Orkney.
It grows in the distinctive and unusually flower-rich of moorland that is widespread in Aberdeenshire at wonderful places like Muir of Dinnet.