Medicinal Shrubs and Woody Vines: Amelanchier, Serviceberry

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  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,502 admin

    Great topic. Saskatoons are flowering here right now. They are very common in my area. There are two native varieties in BC (A. alnifolia and A. cusickii) and one that was brought in for commercial production (not sure why commercial production is necessary when they are free everywhere here). The native varieties are almost identical with the differentiating factor being the flowering period. One species (less common and not in my immediate area) flowers two weeks before the other. Even before DNA testing determined that they were separate species, First Nations had two separate names for them. That species grows a bit further south than I am.

    Lots of people in my area take advantage of this free fruit source. I usually freeze them as I don't have enough time to do anything with them when they are ripe. Then I use them in baked goods (pies, muffins, quick breads, etc.) or make pancake syrup. I've used the syrup as a drizzle to decorate fancy dessert plates. They are very nice infused in vinegar for a salad dressing base. I've also made a saskatoon liqueur in the past; infused fruit in vodka or brandy, then strained and a sweetener added.

    Saskatoons are a great source of vitamins, phenolic compounds and anthocyanins (both of the latter acting as antioxidants).

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  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,353 admin
    https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/922009#Comment_922009

    I will need to grow some here since our native varieties are mor coastal - seems like an interesting fruit!

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  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,502 admin

    I'm sure they would do well for you.

    I'm looking out my window at two big shrubs right now. And if I moved my angle a bit, I could see the two really tall ones at the side of my driveway. Occasionally, you will see one that has maintained a tree form with only one main trunk but they are mostly multi-stemmed shrubs, even the really tall ones. My plant atlas says they can get to 35 feet but most of the big ones around here are about 20-25 feet tall.

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  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,353 admin
    https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/922017#Comment_922017

    I'll have to have to keep an eye out for some seedlings.

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