|
|
 |
Bitter cherry
Prunus emarginata
|
 |
 A shrub or small tree, up to 9 metres tall; straight, slender trunk, extending up to
the narrow crown.
Leaves
Small, oval-shaped leaves, tapered towards the tip; 2 to 8 centimetres
long, yellowish-green, thin, with uneven-sized teeth on the edges. |
Flowers
Small, white flowers in loose clusters of 5 to 12.Fruit
Dark red, with a juicy but bitter flesh, 5 to 12 millimetres across. |
 |
 Bark
Greyish or reddish, peeling horizontally like paper birch; large, widely
spaced, orange horizontal slits (called lenticels); bitter tasting.
Where to find bitter cherry
It occurs throughout southern British Columbia, except for the dry
Interior portions.
Habitat
Bitter cherry is common in moist deciduous forests and open woods, along
streams and on recently disturbed areas. It prefers moist, nutrient-rich sites. |
Uses
Aboriginal people ate the fruit of the bitter cherry only occasionally
because of its unpleasant taste. Because the bark is tough and waterproof, they peeled it
off in long horizontal or spiral strips and used it for basket-making. They also softened
it by pounding to make twine for baskets and mats and for tying together joints in
house-building.Notes
Prunus is Latin for plum. |
 |
|
|
Previous << >> Next
|
|
|
