Serviceberry, Amelanchier Alnifolia

Day 192: I had a different photo planned for today's post, but since today is Earth Day, how about a lovely and somewhat early Serviceberry instead? There are more common names for this plant than you can shake a stick at, including Shadbush, Shadblow, Saskatoon, Sarviceberry and Juneberry, and you may have noticed that two of them start with "Shad-," referring to the fact that Amelanchier species bloom around the same time the shad (fish) begin their run in the rivers. It's been a long time since I fished for shad, and the flowering of Serviceberry always makes me nostalgic for those days when my fishing buddy and I would stand on the banks of the Columbia at Bonneville, hauling in fish until our arms ached. That said, shad are bony little buggers, not something you can filet for the table. However, the flesh can be pickled like herring for a delicious snack (the pickling process softens the fine bones), and the roe can be salted to make a "poor-man's caviar." Sigh. What I wouldn't give for a jar of pickled shad right now! But Shadbush berries will have to suffice, even if I do have to wait until June to pick them.

Stamen Count - Shadbush, Amelanchier Alnifolia

Day 211: Shadbush, Serviceberry, Sarviceberry, Saskatoon...whatever you choose to call it, Amelanchier alnifolia and dwarf A. alnifolia var. pumila are both known to occur in western Washington. The extent of the toothed portion of the leaf margin may be helpful in separating the two, but the real telling point is the number of stamens. Having taken photos of several different specimens during my morning walk, thinking only of getting an acceptable exposure in the pre-dawn light, I found myself faced with a dilemma. I had three different leaf forms, and several references described them as "highly variable." The following morning, I left home with a hand lens hung around my neck and returned to each and every Shadbush I'd photographed the previous day to conduct a stamen count. As it turned out, I didn't need the magnifier. One, two, three...hey, they're kinda in little groups of five! Yup, 20 in every case: Western Serviceberry. The fruits of both types are edible and reminiscent of blueberries, and are great in muffins or waffles if you can get them before the birds do.

Amelanchier Alnifolia, Serviceberry

Day 203: Serviceberry, Sarviceberry, Sarvis, Shadberry, Shadbush, Shadblow, Shadwood, Juneberry, Saskatoon, Chuckley Pear, Sugarplum, Wild-plum...the things you could call Amelanchier alnifolia vary dramatically from region to region. Its scientific name "alnifolia" refers to the resemblance of the leaves to those of alder, although I'd take issue with that and suggest that "betulifolia" would be more appropriate since to me they look like birch. This sprangly shrub blooms in May-June, corresponding with the shad runs on both the east and west coasts. While this explains several of the common names, others confound the imagination. "Chuckley Pear?" Where did that come from? "Wild-plum"(hyphenated) is even more confusing, since Sarviceberry (the form I learned as a child) bears fruits which look and taste rather like blueberries. They can be used quite successfully as a substitute in muffins and pancakes if you have the good fortune to be able to collect enough before the birds raid the bushes. I've never been able to gather enough for jam, so when I found a healthy grove yesterday, I carefully lifted an offshoot to grow at home. It will remain in a sunken pot for a year until it's had a chance to establish a strong root system and then I'll move it to a permanent location at the edge of my woods where hopefully it will flourish and spread.

Serviceberry

Day 229: Alternatively pronounced "SARviceberry," Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) may also be referred to as "Shadbush," a common name which reflects the fact that it blooms concurrently with the start of the shad run in both east and west coast rivers. Native peoples relied on such indicators as a calendar of food-source availability. Serviceberry also provided edible fruit in early to mid-June, berries similar in size and somewhat in taste to blueberries, if not quite as juicy. In Canada, this shrub wears yet another common name "Saskatoon" and in the midwest, it is known as "June-berry." Bushes can grow to 20' in height and can be found from sea level to approximately 4000' altitude.