Overview of Saskatoon Berries

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Name: The Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt, Rosaceae, Alder-Leaf Shadbush). Saskatoon berries seemed to have got the name from a shortened version of the Blackfoot name for the berry: mis-ask-a-tomina or the Cree name: mis-ask-quah-toomina. The origin of Amelachier is uncertain but it is what the French call the plant, which means Alder-leafed (St.-Pierre, 1991).
Description: A hardy medium to tall shrub bush part of the rose family. The Rosaceae is a very large plant family that includes the apples, plums, cherries, and roses (St-Pierre, 1991). There are at least 10 species of Saskatoon berries and it is hard to tell them apart. The morphology of the shrub is highly variable and can have different factors based on age, location, and underground stem location. It usually grows to shrub size and can be differentiated by the leaves, the flowers, and berries that grow on it (Brooke, 1988).
• Leaves/Buds: The leaves are an oval-shaped and about 1-2 inches long and about ¾-1/12 inches wide. They are rounded at the tip and straight across at the base, with sharp upper edges. The leaves appear pubescent, and grey when they are young. As they mature, the leaves become smoother and dark green; yellow in the fall. (St.-Pierre, 1991). The buds have an alternate arrangement and are a medium sized, 1/4inch-3/8 inch. They are a dark-brown to purplish color. The leaves and pits contain a poisonous cyanide-like substance that can cause serious health problems. Cooking or drying destroys these toxins (Turner, 1990).

• Shrub/Berries: The Saskatoon berry is edible and has a similar flavor and similar characteristics to the blueberry, yet much sweeter and more plump. Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt produces a small pome fruit, about 0-1 to ...

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Works Cited

• Dr. Christopher Campbell, (N.D.) Saskatoon, Plant watch
Retrieved from: http://plantwatch.naturealberta.ca • Steeves, Taylor, A. (1991) Flower development in Amelanchier alnifolia,
Canadian Journal of Botany, 69(4), 844-857.
• Brooke, B, M. (1988) The cyanide potential in two varieties of Amelanchier alnifolia.
Canadian journal of plant science, 68 (2), 543-547.
• Rogers, Suzy, Y. (1997) Maturation and ripening of fruit of Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt,
Annals of Botany, 81 (3), 203-211.
• Barney, Danny, L. (2009), Growing Saskatoon’s,
University of Idaho Botany, 83 (44), 57-71.
• St.-Pierre, Richard, M. (1999), The growing of Saskatoon berries,
Manual for Orchardists, 5(23), 111-114.
• Turner, Thompson, J. (1990), Thompson Ethno botany, Victoria, Royal British Museum.
Retrieved from:
http://dendrologysurvivor.wikispaces.com/Saskatoon

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