Amelanchier alnifolia
Saskatoon

Uses

Edible uses

Fruit

Raw, Cooked, Dried as a Fresh fruit, Dried fruit

Unknown part

Dried, Steeped as a Tea

Material uses

Plants have a spreading, suckering root system and are used in windbreaks for erosion control^[6].

Young branches can be twisted to make a rope^[11].

Wood - hard, straight grained, tough. Used for tool handles etc. The wood can be made even harder by heating it over a fire and it is easily moulded whilst still hot^[12]. The young stems are used to make rims, handles and as a stiffening in basket making^[11].

There are no material uses listed for Amelanchier alnifolia.

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

Saskatoon was quite widely employed as a medicinal herb by the North American Indians, who used it to treat a wide range of minor complaints^[11]. It is little used in modern herbalism.

An infusion of the inner bark is used as a treatment for snow-blindness^[13]. A decoction of the fruit juice is mildly laxative. It has been used in the treatment of upset stomachs, to restore the appetite in children, it is also applied externally as ear and eye drops^[11]. A decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of colds^[11]. It has also been used as a treatment for too frequent menstruation^[11]. A decoction of the stems, combined with the stems of snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp) is diaphoretic. It has been used to induce sweating in the treatment of fevers, flu etc and also in the treatment of chest pains and lung infections^[11].

A decoction of the plant, together with bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata) has been used as a contraceptive^[11]. Other recipes involving this plant have also been used as contraceptives including a decoction of the ashes of the plant combined with the ashes of pine branches or buds^[11]. A strong decoction of the bark was taken immediately after childbirth to hasten the dropping of the placenta. It was said to help clean out and help heal the woman's insides and also to stop her menstrual periods after the birth, thus acting as a form of birth control^[11].

Unknown part

Appetizer

Birthing aid

Contraceptive

Diaphoretic

Febrifuge

Laxative

Ophthalmic

Stomachic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Secondary canopy

Ecological Functions

Windbreak

Earth stabiliser

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - it is best harvested 'green', when the seed is fully formed but before the seed coat has hardened, and then sown immediately in pots outdoors or in a cold frame. If stored seed is obtained early enough in the autumn, it can be given 4 weeks warm stratification before being left out in the winter and it should then germinate in the spring. Otherwise seed can be very slow to germinate, perhaps taking 18 months or more. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a sheltered outdoor position, planting them out once they are 20cm or more tall.

If there is sufficient seed it is best to sow it thinly in an outdoor seedbed^[14]^[15]. Grow the seedlings on for two years in the seedbed before planting them out into their permanent positions during the winter. Layering in spring - takes 18 months^[14].

Division of suckers in late winter. The suckers need to have been growing for 2 years before you dig them up, otherwise they will not have formed roots. They can be planted out straight into their permanent positions if required.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Amelanchier alnifolia. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.

Cultivation

Prefers a rich loamy soil in a sunny position or semi-shade^[16]^[6] but thrives in any soil that is not too dry or water-logged^[2]. Plants are fairly lime tolerant^[6], they also grow well in heavy clay soils.

Hardy to about -20°c according to one report^[17], whilst another suggests that this species is hardy to about -50°c^[2]. All members of this genus have edible fruits and, whilst this is dry and uninteresting in some species, in many others it is sweet and juicy. Many of the species have potential for use in the garden as edible ornamentals. This species is particularly interesting because it is quite compact and produces an excellent quality quite large fruit[K]. The main draw-back to this genus is that birds adore the fruit and will often completely strip a tree before it is fully ripe[K]. A very variable species, ranging from a thicket-forming shrub to a small tree in the wild^[18]. It is occasionally cultivated for its edible fruit, there are several named varieties^[8]. A stoloniferous species, spreading by suckers to form a thicket^[2].

Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus^[6]. Grafting onto seedlings of A. lamarckii or Sorbus aucuparia is sometimes practised in order to avoid the potential problem of hybridizing^[16].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Amelanchier alnifolia. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Amelanchier alnifolia.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

References

? ^1.0^1.1 Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-5531-7 (32202/01/01)
? ^2.0^2.1^2.2^2.3^2.4^2.5 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (32202/01/01)
? ^3.0^3.1 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (32202/01/01)
? ^4.0^4.1 Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold ISBN 0442222009 (32202/01/01)
? ^5.0^5.1^5.2 Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences (32202/01/01)
? ^6.0^6.1^6.2^6.3^6.4^6.5^6.6^6.7 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (32202/01/01)
? ^7.0^7.1 Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers The Riverside Press ISBN 63-7093 (32202/01/01)
? ^8.0^8.1^8.2 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (32202/01/01)
? ^9.0^9.1 Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. ISBN 0889025649 (32202/01/01)
? ^10.0^10.1 Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture. ()
? ^11.00^11.01^11.02^11.03^11.04^11.05^11.06^11.07^11.08^11.09^11.10^11.11^11.12^11.13 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (32202/01/01)
? ^12.0^12.1 Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum ISBN 0-7718-8117-7 (32202/01/01)
? ^13.0^13.1 Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. ()
? ^14.0^14.1 Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (32202/01/01)
? McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books ISBN 0-901361-21-6 (32202/01/01)
? ^16.0^16.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (32202/01/01)
? Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books ISBN 0-330-30258-2 (32202/01/01)
? Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. ISBN 0442238622 (32202/01/01)
? Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. (32202/01/01)

"image:Amelanchier alnifolia.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

[PFAFimport-3-1] ? ^1.0^1.1 Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-5531-7 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-11-2] ? ^2.0^2.1^2.2^2.3^2.4^2.5 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-46-3] ? ^3.0^3.1 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-62-4] ? ^4.0^4.1 Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold ISBN 0442222009 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-101-5] ? ^5.0^5.1^5.2 Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-200-6] ? ^6.0^6.1^6.2^6.3^6.4^6.5^6.6^6.7 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-212-7] ? ^7.0^7.1 Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers The Riverside Press ISBN 63-7093 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-183-8] ? ^8.0^8.1^8.2 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-226-9] ? ^9.0^9.1 Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. ISBN 0889025649 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-161-10] ? ^10.0^10.1 Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture. ()

[PFAFimport-257-11] ? ^11.00^11.01^11.02^11.03^11.04^11.05^11.06^11.07^11.08^11.09^11.10^11.11^11.12^11.13 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-99-12] ? ^12.0^12.1 Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum ISBN 0-7718-8117-7 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-172-13] ? ^13.0^13.1 Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. ()

[PFAFimport-78-14] ? ^14.0^14.1 Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-80-15] ? McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books ISBN 0-901361-21-6 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-1-16] ? ^16.0^16.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-184-17] ? Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books ISBN 0-330-30258-2 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-229-18] ? Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. ISBN 0442238622 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-43-19] ? Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. (32202/01/01)

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[13]

[14]

[15]

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Article is incomplete	Yes +
Article requires citations	No +
Article requires cleanup	Yes +
Belongs to family	Rosaceae +
Belongs to genus	Amelanchier +
Functions as	Windbreak + and Earth stabiliser +
Has common name	Saskatoon +
Has drought tolerance	Intolerant +
Has edible part	Fruit + and Unknown part +
Has edible use	Unknown use + and Tea +
Has fertility type	Self fertile + and Bee +
Has flowers of type	Hermaphrodite +
Has hardiness zone	2 +
Has image	Amelanchier alnifolia.jpg +
Has lifecycle type	Perennial +
Has mature height	4 +
Has mature width	3 +
Has medicinal part	Unknown part +
Has medicinal use	Appetizer +, Birthing aid +, Contraceptive +, Diaphoretic +, Febrifuge +, Laxative +, Ophthalmic + and Stomachic +
Has primary image	Amelanchier alnifolia.jpg +
Has search name	amelanchier alnifolia + and x +
Has shade tolerance	Light shade +
Has soil ph preference	Acid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
Has soil teclayture preference	Clay +
Has soil teheavy clayture preference	Heavy clay +
Has soil teloamyture preference	Loamy +
Has soil tesandyture preference	Sandy +
Has sun preference	Full sun +
Has taxonomy name	Amelanchier alnifolia +
Has water requirements	moderate +
Is deciduous or evergreen	Deciduous +
Is herbaceous or woody	Woody +
Is taxonomy type	Species +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soil	No +
Uses mature size measurement unit	Meters +

Uses

Edible uses

Fruit

Raw, Cooked, Dried as a Fresh fruit, Dried fruit

Unknown part

Dried, Steeped as a Tea

Material uses

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

Unknown part

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Forage

Shelter

Propagation

Cultivation

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

Polycultures & Guilds

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

Subspecies

Full Data

References

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