Amelanchier alnifolia

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Amelanchier alnifolia, the saskatoon berry, Pacific serviceberry, western serviceberry, western shadbush, or western juneberry,[1] is a shrub native to North America. It is a member of the rose family, and bears an edible berry-like fruit.

Description

It is a deciduous shrub or small tree that most often grows to Script error: No such module "convert".,[2] rarely to Template:Cvt,[3] in height. Its growth form spans from suckering and forming colonies to clumped.[4] The leaves are oval to nearly circular, Script error: No such module "convert". long and Template:Cvt broad, on a Template:Cvt leaf stem, with margins toothed mostly above the middle.[4]

As with all species in the genus Amelanchier, the flowers are white,[5] with five quite separate petals and five sepals. In A. alnifolia, they are about Template:Cvt across, with 20 stamens and five styles,[6] appearing on short racemes of 3–20,[4] somewhat crowded together, blooming from April to July.[6]

The fruit is a small purple pome Template:Cvt in diameter, ripening in early summer.[4][2] It has a waxy bloom. Saskatoon species can be relatively difficult to distinguish.[6] Script error: No such module "Gallery".

Chemistry

Saskatoons have total polyphenol content of 452 milligrams per 100 grams (average of 'Smoky' and 'Northline' cultivars), flavonols (61 mg) and anthocyanins (178 mg),[7] although others have found the phenolic values to be either lower in the 'Smoky' cultivar[8] or higher.[9] Quercetin, cyanidin, delphinidin, pelargonidin, petunidin, peonidin, and malvidin were present in saskatoon berries.[7][10]

Taxonomy

Varieties

The three varieties are:[2][11]

  • A. a. var. alnifolia. Northeastern part of the species' range.[12]
  • A. a. var. pumila (Nutt.) A.Nelson. Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada.[13][14]
  • A. a. var. semiintegrifolia (Hook.) C.L.Hitchc. Pacific coastal regions, Alaska to northwestern California.[15][16]

Etymology

The name saskatoon derives from the Cree inanimate noun Script error: No such module "Lang". Script error: No such module "Lang". (Script error: No such module "Lang". Script error: No such module "Lang". NI sg, 'saskatoonberry', Script error: No such module "Lang". NI pl 'saskatoonberries').[17]

The specific epithet alnifolia is a feminine adjective. It is a compound of the Latin word for "alder", Template:Wikt-lang, and the word for "leaf", Template:Wikt-lang.

Historically, it was also called pigeon berry.[18]

"Service berry" appears to be a name applied by European immigrants who found it similar in appearance to the European "service tree" plants of genus Sorbus and Cormus.

Distribution and habitat

File:Amelanchier alnifolia 6441.JPG
A. alnifolia var. semiintegrifolia shrub in flower, Skagit County, Washington

The plant is present from Alaska across most of western Canada and in the western and north-central United States.[6] It grows from sea level in the north of the range, up to Template:Cvt elevation in California and Template:Cvt in the Rocky Mountains.[1][4][2] It is a common shrub in the forest understory,[19] as well as canyons.[6]

Ecology

A. alnifolia is susceptible to cedar-apple rust, Entomosporium leaf spot, fireblight, brown rot, Cytospora canker, powdery mildew, and blackleaf.[20] Problem insects include aphids, thrips, mites, bud moths, saskatoon sawflies, and pear slug sawflies.[20] It is also a larval host to the pale tiger swallowtail, two-tailed swallowtail, and the western tiger swallowtail.[21]

The foliage is browsed by deer, elk, rabbits, and livestock.[22][23] The fruit are eaten by wildlife including birds, squirrels, and bears.[22]

Cultivation

Seedlings are planted with Template:Cvt between rows and Template:Cvt between plants. An individual bush may bear fruit 30 or more years.[24]

Saskatoons are adaptable to most soil types with exception of poorly drained or heavy clay soils lacking organic matter. Shallow soils should be avoided, especially if the water table is high or erratic. Winter hardiness is exceptional, but frost can damage blooms as late as May. Large amounts of sunshine are needed for fruit ripening.[24][25]

Nutrients in raw saskatoon berries[7]
Nutrient Value per 100 g % Daily Value
Energy 85 kcal
Total dietary fiber 5.9 g 20%
Sugars, total 11.4 g 8%
Calcium 42 mg 4%
Magnesium 24 mg 6%
Iron 1 mg 12%
Manganese 1.4 mg 70%
Potassium 162 mg 3%
Sodium 0.5 mg 0%
Vitamin C 3.6 mg 4%
Vitamin A 11 IU 1%
Vitamin E 1.1 mg 7%
Folate 4.6 μg 1%
Riboflavin 3.5 mg > 100%
Panthothenic acid 0.3 mg 6%
Pyridoxine 0.03 mg 2%
Biotin 20 μg 67%

Uses

Nutrition

Saskatoon berries contain significant amounts of total dietary fiber, riboflavin and biotin, and the dietary minerals, iron and manganese, a nutrient profile similar to the content of blueberries.[7]

Culinary

With a sweet, nutty taste, the fruits have long been eaten by Indigenous peoples in Canada, fresh or dried. They are well known as an ingredient in pemmican, a preparation of dried meat to which saskatoon berries are added as flavour and preservative. They are used in saskatoon berry pie, jam, wine, cider, beers, and sugar-infused berries similar to dried cranberries used for breakfast cereals, trail mix, and snack foods.[7][26][27][25]

In 2004, the British Food Standards Agency suspended saskatoon berries from retail sales[28] pending safety testing; the ban eventually was lifted.[29]

In culture

The city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is named after the berry;[17] the city is also home to a baseball team called the Saskatoon Berries.[30]

The saskatoon berry pie has become iconic on the Canadian prairies.[31]

References

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  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ University of Maine: Amelanchier list of taxa Template:Webarchive
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Template:Jepson Manual
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Template:Jepson Manual
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Schorger, A.W. 1955. The Passenger Pigeon; its natural history and extinction. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison.
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ The Xerces Society (2016), Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.
  22. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

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