Shadeberry

"Pay attention child, I'm going to show you how to make the Family Bonds. You take the shadeberry, and the pitch from the birch trees..." The elder bloodkeeper used a mortar and pestle to combine the two, her teal sleeves rolled up to keep them out of the way. The berry mixed with the dry and chalky pitch tar, adding a hint of purple to it. "You need to make sure to scrape the edges of the bowl, to make sure you mix it evenly."
The younger bloodkeeper with far lighter fur watched with wide eyes. Their ears flicked and were perked in attention. "Yes grandmama." Their bright crimson eyes focused on the bowl. "And a drop of blood, right?"
Their grandmother smirked, a shine in her eyes. "Yes. That's right."

General

Named for the fact it often grows in the shadows of rock outcropping and dense tree roots, shadeberries are also called umbraberries depending on the region a person has grown up in. They are a hearty species capable of handling small periods of drought due to how they absorb water.

Appearance

Shadeberries are a pale white and green after blooming, and start turning a pale pink and lavender as they begin to ripen. They keep this base colour in the shine of the individual druplets as they darken into the deep violets and navy.

Taste

There are slight variables from berry to berry, but when picked at it's ripest, shadeberries are incredibly sweet. If picked at an inopportune time, they can be incredibly tart.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Shadeberries are commonly for foodstuffs, like jams, jellies and other desserts. This is the prime domestic use for them by most species. However the number one demographic for Shadeberry use are bloodkeepers, specifically the Leaf Clan.They are the prime cultivators of shadeberries, and they often know the best places to grow it, and harvest it efficiently. 90% of the harvested berries are used in their Family Bonds, turned into a slightly liquid-y paste to apply to their face.

Scientific classification

Kingdom

Plantae

Lifespan

Perennial

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Distribution

Erbar, Hajev, Juptmou, Laimala, Quecel

Scientific Name

Rubus Umbrae