Description
Relied on by Indigenous nations across the continent, chokecherries give us a multitude of gifts. They produce copious amounts of small cherries, deep in flavor and high in vitamins and minerals. Many Indigenous people traditionally mash the fruit, pit and all, and either cook and eat as a pudding or form into cakes and sun-dry for later cooking (cooking is recommended to break down residual toxins in the pits). The pits add protein, making them a more substantial food soure. The roots offer medicinal qualities, and the wood is valuable for certain toolmaking.
Chokecherries are of huge ecological importance being of the Prunus genus, hosting 340 species of caterpillar in the region and providing food and cover for a variety of animals. Native songbirds flock to the ripe fruit.
These are medium-sized shrubs but can grow to the height of a small tree in a more crowded, forested context. They are highly adaptable to moisture conditions, ranging from floodplains to rocky hillsides.
