Amelanchier alnifolia : Saskatoon Berry

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Genera: Amelanchier (Service Berry) (Origin obscure. Possibly the Savoy (French) name for a closely related species)

Species: alnifolia (Lat. Alnus=alder + folium=leaf: alder leaved)

Synonym(s): A.canadensis

English Name(s):

Saskatoon Berry, Serviceberry

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Stoloniferous, (with creeping rooting stems) forming small colonies or thickets.
• Tree-like shrub 0.3-2 meters tall.

Leaves:

• Elliptic-ovate in shape with a rounded tip.
• Petioled (on a stalk).
• Margins sharply serrate (toothed) at least toward the tip.
• Simple (one blade), alternately arranged, 2-5cm long, by 1.5-4cm wide.

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers in short dense racemes from the leaf axils.
• Petals white to pinkish.
• Sepals 5, triangular, persistent (not falling off),1.5-3mm long, ; Petals 5, oblanceolate in shape, 5-14mm long.

Seed:

• Berries edible and sweet.
• Fruit a purpleish-black, juicy, berry-like pome of 6-10mm diameter.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennail.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Flowers blooming in May.
• Fruit (berries) ripe in July.
• Leaves deciduous (falling off).

Animal Uses:

• Bears, chipmunks, squirrels and a host of birds relish the berries.

Habitat:

• Open woodlands

Modern:

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Medicinal:

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Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

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