Page 146 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Chokecherry, Prunus

virginiana (ROSACEAE)

CHOKECHERRY gets its name from the puckering taste
of its fruit. This large deciduous shrub can grow 20-
30 ft. (6-9m) tall and is found in woodlands, by stream
Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0
banks, and along fencerows.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: White flowers appear in April-Ju-
ly, have a bitter-almond fragrance, and grow in long
clusters. Each flower is 3.5 inches (9cm) across and cup-
shaped. Red fruits are 0.2-0.6 inches (0.5-1.5cm) across.
They ripen to deep plummy purple in June-September.
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LEAF: Foliage is dark to medium green and turns am- Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0
ber in autumn. Leaves grow in an alternate pattern, with fridge for 2-3 days will increase the cherries’ sweet-
gray-green undersides and sharply serrated edges. Leaf ness. The stones of these fruits are poisonous, so be
blades are oval and 5 inches (13cm) long. sure to remove them before you pop the flesh in your
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit (see WARNING) mouth. You can also boil chokecherries briefly to sep-
KEY MEDICINAL USES: It has astringent properties. arate the pulp from the stone. Chokecherries can be
eaten fresh or made into jam, juice, fruit leather, or
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Chokecherries are ready
wine.
to be harvested between July and October, once they
have changed from bright red to deep plummy red. Ful- WARNING: Fruit pits, leaves, twigs, and bark are poi-
ly ripe fruits will astound your tastebuds with a sweet- sonous, producing cyanide when ingested.
sour combo punch. Unripe cherries, on the other hand, POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Buckthorn, Rhamnus
will be prohibitively bitter. Storing your harvest in the cathartica

Cloudberry, Rubus
chamaemorus (ROSACEAE)

CLOUDBERRY grows mainly in bogs, wet peaty mead-
ows, and open tundra. Its stems grow 4-11 inches (10-
28cm) tall, and are slender and herbaceous rather than
woody. Unlike most other plants in the Rubus genus, the
cloudberry lacks prickles and bristles.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: Between early and mid-summer,
a solitary white flower will form at the end of each stem.
Each flower is 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3cm) wide and has 5-8
petals with pointed tips. Aggregate berries ripen in late
August and early September. Each berry is 0.8 inches
(2cm) across and is composed of 6-8 drupelets. Young
to scout cloudberry plants in advance, while the
berries are red and sour. As they mature, they become
fruits are still developing. Berries are delicate and
sweeter, fleshier, and take on a rosy or amber hue.
should be hand-picked. They are best enjoyed fresh
LEAF: Each stem has 1-3 simple leaves, which are alter-
within a day or so of picking. Cloudberries are sweet
nate and nearly. They grow from 1.5-4.5 inches (4-11cm)
and tender, making heavenly jams, desserts, and even
wide and have finely serrated edges. alcoholic beverages.
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit
SIMPLE CLOUDBERRY JAM: Throw cloudberries
KEY MEDICINAL USES: It is a febrifuge and antioxidant. and sugar together into a pot over the fire. Keep por-
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Cloudberries are ripe tions to a 4:1 ratio. Add a few tbsp. of water if neces-
for the picking between July and August, once they as- sary. Stir occasionally while letting the mixture sim-
sume their rosy-golden hues. Because their harvest pe- mer until the berries are soft and almost all the liquid
riod lasts for no more than a couple of weeks, it’s best has boiled off. The jam will thicken as it cools.
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