The saskatoon, saskatoon berry, serviceberry, sarvisberry or juneberry is a shrub native to North America from Alaska across most of western Canada and in the western and north central United States. Historically it was also called “pigeon berry”.

It is a deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow to 1–8 m (rarely to 10 m) in height. Its growth form spans from suckering and forming colonies to clumped. The leaves are oval to nearly circular, 2–5 cm long and 1–4.5 cm broad, with margins dentate mostly above the middle and a 0.5–2 cm petiole. The flowers are white, about 2–3 cm across; they appear on racemes of 3–20 together in early spring while the new leaves are still expanding. The fruit is a small purple pome 5–15 mm diameter, ripening in early summer.  Seedlings are planted with 13–20 ft (4–6 m) between rows and 1.5–3 ft (0.5–1 m) between plants. An individual bush may bear fruit 30 or more years.

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 there is a high or erratic water table. Winter hardiness is exceptional but frost can damage blooms as late as May. Large amounts of sunshine are needed for fruit ripening.

With a sweet nutty taste, the fruits have long been eaten by Canada’s Aboriginal people as pemmican, a preparation of dried meat to which saskatoon berries are added as flavour and preservative. They are also often used in pies, jam, wines, cider, beers and sugar-infused berries similar to dried cranberries used for cereals, trail mix and snack foods.

Saskatoon berries contain significant Daily Value amounts of total dietary fibre, vitamins B₂ (riboflavin) and biotin, and the essential minerals, iron and manganese, a nutrient profile similar to the content of blueberries.

For more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskatoons

http://www.saskfruit.com/modules.php?name=Sections&sop=viewarticle&artid=384

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/info_saskatoon_production.htm

http://www.prairieberries.com/berry.php

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 at 8:00 am and is filed under Prairie Fruit.