Soopolallie (also called soapberry) is a hardy, nitrogen-fixing shrub with small, inconspicuous yellowish flowers in spring, followed by bright red berries in summer that are best known for their use in making a frothy, traditional whipped dessert – “Indian ice cream” – by First Nations across the interior. The tart berries are also an important food source for bears and other wildlife heading into fall. Note: soopolallie is dioecious, meaning individual plants are either male or female, and only female plants bear fruit. A tough, adaptable shrub for a naturalized planting or wildlife hedgerow.