Saskatoon, Saskatoon serviceberry, Serviceberry

Amelanchier alnifolia

Physical Characteristics

Amelanchier alnifolia is a deciduous Shrub growing to 4 m (13ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen from June to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Distribution

Western and Central N. America - Saskatchewan and south to Colorado and Idaho.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit Edible Uses: Tea The fruits (pomes) of Amelanchier alnifolia are edible and consistently delicious. They resemble blueberries in appearance but carry a sweet, apple-like flavor with subtle notes of grape and almond. Unlike some other serviceberries (such as A. utahensis), Saskatoon fruits tend to have a softer, juicier texture and are less prone to developing the firm, apple-core-like quality that makes some varieties unappealing. Fruits can be eaten fresh, dried, or processed into jams, pies, jellies, syrups, and wines [2-3]. Native Americans valued serviceberries as a staple food, often drying and mixing them with meat and fat to make pemmican, a high-energy traditional food that could be stored for long periods. Today, Saskatoon berries are still commercially cultivated in Canada and prized for their excellent flavor and high nutritional value, including vitamin C, iron, calcium, manganese, and antioxidants [2-3]. Other parts of the plant (leaves, bark, and seeds) contain cyanogenic compounds (prunasin) and are considered inedible. Only the fruits should be consumed [2-3]. Edibility Rating: 5/5 – Excellent wild fruit, nutritious and versatile [2-3]. Edible fruit - raw or cooked[3, 11, 46, 62, 101]. The fruit ripens in mid summer (early July in southern Britain), it is soft and juicy with a few small seeds in the centre. A very nice sweet flavour that is enjoyed by almost everyone who tries it, there is a hint of apple in the taste[K]. About the size of a blackcurrant, the fruit is produced in small clusters and the best wild forms can be 15mm in diameter[200, 212]. The fruit can also be dried and used as raisins or made into pemmican[101, 183]. The fruit is rich in iron and copper[226]. The leaves are a tea substitute[161, 257].

Medicinal Uses

Appetizer Birthing aid Contraceptive Diaphoretic Febrifuge Laxative Ophthalmic Stomachic Saskatoon was quite widely employed as a medicinal herb by the North American Indians, who used it to treat a wide range of minor complaints[257]. It is little used in modern herbalism. An infusion of the inner bark is used as a treatment for snow-blindness[172]. A decoction of the fruit juice is mildly laxative. It has been used in the treatment of upset stomachs, to restore the appetite in children, it is also applied externally as ear and eye drops[257]. A decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of colds[257]. It has also been used as a treatment for too frequent menstruation[257]. A decoction of the stems, combined with the stems of snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp) is diaphoretic. It has been used to induce sweating in the treatment of fevers, flu etc and also in the treatment of chest pains and lung infections[257]. A decoction of the plant, together with bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata) has been used as a contraceptive[257]. Other recipes involving this plant have also been used as contraceptives including a decoction of the ashes of the plant combined with the ashes of pine branches or buds[257]. A strong decoction of the bark was taken immediately after childbirth to hasten the dropping of the placenta. It was said to help clean out and help heal the woman's insides and also to stop her menstrual periods after the birth, thus acting as a form of birth control[257].

Known Hazards

None known