Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)

Location: This tree may be found at the far western end of the Medicinal Garden, across the small winding aquatic section trough in the small circle of grass near the monkey sculptures.

Summary: Another small species in a land of forest giants, the Chokecherry is member of a family whose domesticated relatives provide us with cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, apples, and more (the Rosaceae family of plants is a bountiful one)! As suggested by the name, the Chokecherry is perhaps less delectable than some of these other fruits, with an exceedingly tart taste when the berries are fully ripe. Nevertheless, the small sour-flavored fruit of hawthorns are of immense importance both ecologically and to many human cultures. The spring flowers of this species invite myriad pollinators, and the resultant fruit is a favorite of birds, which aid in the spread of seeds. The twigs of the species are forage for deer and elk, who have been known to browse the plant so heavily that it fails to rise above knee height. In some areas, tea made from the bark of the species is utilized as a traditional tonic to treat stomach aches, and the berries are an important Indigenous food source. This explains its place in the University’s Medicinal Herb Garden. In order to improve the flavor of the fruit, some Indigenous Nations harvest after the first freeze (which increases the sweetness), then pound the cherries into a mash, which is then dried and mixed with other meals. 

Chokecherry is a very widespread species which may be found across the continent from Atlantic to Pacific, even in the Great Plains (a notoriously treeless place). In most areas this species will grow in a shrubby form, often with multiple trunks, however, in more favorable environments they may achieve sizes in excess of 12 inches in diameter and heights upwards of 60’.

Identifying Features light: A small tree, it seldom exceeds 25 feet (7m) in height and rarely surpasses 8 inches (20cm) in diameter. It is exceedingly widespread, from the eastern seaboard to every western state, from Canada to nearly the Mexican border, thriving in an enormous variety of habitats in between. Its leaves are like that of other cherries, serrated on the edges, and ovular, tapering abruptly to a point. They have pinnate venation. It often has a bushy form, and the white 5-petaled flowers are borne on long stalks, which later hold clusters of the small dark red fruit, much smaller than a store-bought cherry. It Washington it will most often be found in the understory.

Identifying Features in Depth:

1. Form: A small and slender tree, more often in a shrubby form, usually with multiple trunks, Chokecherries may achieve a height of about 25ft (7m) and a girth of only about 8in (20cm).

2. Leaves: Like many cherries, the leaves have slight serrations on the margins, and are generally oval  but with an abrupt point at the terminal end. They are about 2-4 in (5-10 cm) in length and 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) in width, and with a dark shiny topside and paler fuzzy underside. The leaf stalk is about an inch in length (2.5cm), with 2 small glands near the apex.

3. Bark: Bark of these trees is smooth and reddish gray when young, sometimes with the horizontal striations common to cherries. As the tree ages the bark becomes gray and furrowed, with small scales.

4. Reproductive Bodies: Flowers appear on stalks (racemas) 3-6 in (7-15cm) in length, many at a time in the cluster. They are white with 5 rounded petals each, and give rise to clusters of small cherries on short drooping stalks, about a quarter to a third of an inch thick. When unripe they are shiny red, turning black as they age, the flesh a dark purple. They are astringent, and while edible they are unpalatable, and the pits within, as well as the leaves and stems, are toxic.

Historical Background: In spite of the bitter taste of these cherries when eaten raw, they have been consumed by many of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. In Navajo country it is a sacred sacred plant, and has been traditionally used for carving prayer sticks, the black fruit holding a place in ceremonies too as a symbol of the north. The native peoples of the plains also found great use for this fruit, the Dakotas collecting them in great numbers, removing the small seeds and baking them into small cakes to preserve. The wood of the tree is also very admirable in its ability to withstand high tension, and it therefore extremely conducive to the construction of bows. Young straight shoots also may be formed into arrows. A pulp of the cherries creates a strong pinkish red dye, dried berries were found by indigenous peoples to treat loss of appetite, diarrhea, and stomach ulcers. The bark may be used to treat respiratory ailments, although in some areas of the range one must be aware of a toxic lookalike, the common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

Native Range: Found from the eastern seaboard and Canada to the western states. Here in the west found near sea level in British Columbia south to San Diego County in California. It may also be found in the Cascades, Coast Ranges, and Sierra Nevada, increasing in altitude in southern regions, as well as in the mountains of Idaho.