Salmonberries are prickly shrubs with 3 ovate leaves with serrated edges. When flowers are blooming they have pink petals and yellow pistols. The berries grow between June and August and look like a smooth orange raspberry that has “hairs” protruding from it. Their taste can be sweet to mundane. 

Salmonberries are important to the Quinault’s diet as they’ll eat the sprouts in the spring and will refrigerate them to eat in later days. Traditionally they steam and eat the sprouts after dipping them in oil, sometimes alongside salmon. They also would dip the sprouts in fermented salmon eggs. 

Salmonberries can be found in the Pacific from Alaska to California, growing in nitrogen-rich soil in coastal areas, damp forests, near streams and road sides

To grow, salmonberries need to have plenty of moisture and shade, nitrogen-rich soil, and lots of room as they are fast growing, and will form large thickets in large areas. Animals like bears, deer, and birds will eat the berries and leaves in the wild, and small animals like rabbits would use the foliage as cover from predators.