This plant occurs as a tree or large shrub depending on habitat. In protected places like deep canyons and in the riparian zone where its “feet are wet” (roots always in water) this culturally important tree can grow as much as 20 feet tall or taller! It was revered by all the tribes of the Rockies and short grass prairie for its food and medicine.
The pendant clusters of berries were collected in early Fall for year-round use, and the bark stripped from trunks and lower branches to be dried for winter use. The dark purple fresh berries were mashed and ground with the hard seeds inside to make a gritty paste which was molded into small patties and sundried for several days. These were then stored and later mixed with root flour and water and sometimes boxelder or maple tree sap to make a delicious pudding, or mixed with buffalo, elk, or deer meat to make pemmican. Both were common staple foods of all the tribes from Mexico to Canada.
The dried inner bark was peeled away from the outer bark and used in tea for sore throats and winter illnesses in general.
The Shoshone cultural traditions still include the ancient annual chokecherry dance to honor the tree and its health-giving attributes.
Recent biomedical studies have shown chokecherry berries to be therapeutic for cardiovascular health and certain forms of cancer.
Side note: It is believed that springtime bark collections may contain toxic levels of hydrogen cyanide. Inner bark should be collected in mid-summer or later.
In this next video, John discusses with Grant Bulltail the chokecherry. They are picked and eaten raw, or dried for winter use. This versatile plant is central to the Crow way of life and has a variety of uses: the root addresses kidney problems; the bark is used for diarrhea. Strong and flexible, it’s limbs can be used for bows and arrows, or to make bullboats and hoops. When in bloom, chokecherry is mixed with the seeds of other plants and used as a fertilizer to grow tobacco for the Crow tribe’s Sacred Tobacco Society.
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