Amelanchier alnifolia

Amelanchier alnifolia, the saskatoon berry, Pacific serviceberry, western serviceberry, western shadbush, or western juneberry,<ref name=grin>Template:GRIN</ref> is a shrub native to North America. It is a member of the rose family, and bears an edible berry-like fruit.

Description

It is a deciduous shrub or small tree that most often grows to Template:Convert,<ref name=jeps/> rarely to Template:Cvt,<ref name="NA Landcape Trees">Template:Cite book</ref> in height. Its growth form spans from suckering and forming colonies to clumped.<ref name=bc/> The leaves are oval to nearly circular, Template:Convert long and Template:Cvt broad, on a Template:Cvt leaf stem, with margins toothed mostly above the middle.<ref name=bc/>

As with all species in the genus Amelanchier, the flowers are white,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> with five quite separate petals and five sepals. In A. alnifolia, they are about Template:Cvt across, with 20 stamens and five styles,<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> appearing on short racemes of 3–20,<ref name=bc/> somewhat crowded together, blooming from April to July.<ref name=":0" />

The fruit is a small purple pome Template:Cvt in diameter, ripening in early summer.<ref name=bc/><ref name=jeps/> It has a waxy bloom. Saskatoon species can be relatively difficult to distinguish.<ref name=":0" /> Template:Gallery

Chemistry

Saskatoons have total polyphenol content of 452 milligrams per 100 grams (average of 'Smoky' and 'Northline' cultivars), flavonols (61 mg) and anthocyanins (178 mg),<ref name="Mazza2005"/> although others have found the phenolic values to be either lower in the 'Smoky' cultivar<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> or higher.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Quercetin, cyanidin, delphinidin, pelargonidin, petunidin, peonidin, and malvidin were present in saskatoon berries.<ref name="Mazza2005"/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Taxonomy

Varieties

The three varieties are:<ref name="jeps" /><ref name="umaine">University of Maine: Amelanchier list of taxa Template:Webarchive</ref>

• A. a. var. alnifolia. Northeastern part of the species' range.<ref name=umaine1>Template:Cite web</ref>
• A. a. var. pumila (Nutt.) A.Nelson. Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada.<ref name=jeps1>Template:Jepson Manual</ref><ref name=umaine2>Template:Cite web</ref>
• A. a. var. semiintegrifolia (Hook.) C.L.Hitchc. Pacific coastal regions, Alaska to northwestern California.<ref name=jeps2>Template:Jepson Manual</ref><ref name=umaine3>Template:Cite web</ref>

Etymology

The name saskatoon derives from the Cree inanimate noun Template:Lang Template:Lang (Template:Lang Template:Lang Template:Abbr, 'saskatoonberry', Template:Lang Template:Abbr 'saskatoonberries').<ref name="eb">Template:Cite web</ref>

The specific epithet alnifolia is a feminine adjective. It is a compound of the Latin word for "alder", Template:Wikt-lang, and the word for "leaf", Template:Wikt-lang.

Historically, it was also called pigeon berry.<ref>Schorger, A.W. 1955. The Passenger Pigeon; its natural history and extinction. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison.</ref>

"Service berry" appears to be a name applied by European immigrants who found it similar in appearance to the European "service tree" plants of genus Sorbus and Cormus.

Distribution and habitat

A. alnifolia var. semiintegrifolia shrub in flower, Skagit County, Washington

The plant is present from Alaska across most of western Canada and in the western and north-central United States.<ref name=":0" /> It grows from sea level in the north of the range, up to Template:Cvt elevation in California and Template:Cvt in the Rocky Mountains.<ref name="grin" /><ref name="bc">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="jeps">Template:Cite web</ref> It is a common shrub in the forest understory,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as canyons.<ref name=":0" />

Ecology

A. alnifolia is susceptible to cedar-apple rust, Entomosporium leaf spot, fireblight, brown rot, Cytospora canker, powdery mildew, and blackleaf.<ref name="rec">Template:Cite web</ref> Problem insects include aphids, thrips, mites, bud moths, saskatoon sawflies, and pear slug sawflies.<ref name="rec"/> It is also a larval host to the pale tiger swallowtail, two-tailed swallowtail, and the western tiger swallowtail.<ref>The Xerces Society (2016), Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.</ref>

The foliage is browsed by deer, elk, rabbits, and livestock.<ref name="Audubon">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The fruit are eaten by wildlife including birds, squirrels, and bears.<ref name=Audubon/>

Cultivation

Seedlings are planted with Template:Cvt between rows and Template:Cvt between plants. An individual bush may bear fruit 30 or more years.<ref name="Introduction to Saskatoons">Template:Cite web</ref>

Saskatoons are adaptable to most soil types with exception of poorly drained or heavy clay soils lacking organic matter. Shallow soils should be avoided, especially if the water table is high or erratic. Winter hardiness is exceptional, but frost can damage blooms as late as May. Large amounts of sunshine are needed for fruit ripening.<ref name="Introduction to Saskatoons"/><ref name="growing">Template:Cite web</ref>

Nutrients in raw saskatoon berries<ref name="Mazza2005"/>
Nutrient	Value per 100 g	% Daily Value
Energy	85 kcal
Total dietary fiber	5.9 g	20%
Sugars, total	11.4 g	8%
Calcium	42 mg	4%
Magnesium	24 mg	6%
Iron	1 mg	12%
Manganese	1.4 mg	70%
Potassium	162 mg	3%
Sodium	0.5 mg	0%
Vitamin C	3.6 mg	4%
Vitamin A	11 IU	1%
Vitamin E	1.1 mg	7%
Folate	4.6 μg	1%
Riboflavin	3.5 mg	> 100%
Panthothenic acid	0.3 mg	6%
Pyridoxine	0.03 mg	2%
Biotin	20 μg	67%

Uses

Nutrition

Saskatoon berries contain significant amounts of total dietary fiber, riboflavin and biotin, and the dietary minerals, iron and manganese, a nutrient profile similar to the content of blueberries.<ref name="Mazza2005"/>

Culinary

With a sweet, nutty taste, the fruits have long been eaten by Indigenous peoples in Canada, fresh or dried. They are well known as an ingredient in pemmican, a preparation of dried meat to which saskatoon berries are added as flavour and preservative. They are used in saskatoon berry pie, jam, wine, cider, beers, and sugar-infused berries similar to dried cranberries used for breakfast cereals, trail mix, and snack foods.<ref name="Mazza2005">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="growing" />

In 2004, the British Food Standards Agency suspended saskatoon berries from retail sales<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> pending safety testing; the ban eventually was lifted.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In culture

The city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is named after the berry;<ref name="eb" /> the city is also home to a baseball team called the Saskatoon Berries.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The saskatoon berry pie has become iconic on the Canadian prairies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

External links

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