THE WILD CHERRY:
Native Americans processed and ate the pits of this widespread and tasty fruit of late summer and early fall
Christopher Nyerges
Nyerges has been leading Wild Food Outings since 1974. He is the author of “Guide to Wild Foods,” “Foraging California,” and other books. More information about classes, and information about his books, contact School of Self-Reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041, or on-line at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com
Wild cherry is a common, widespread plant throughout North America. Here in Southern California, there are five native species of wild cherry found throughout the Pacific Coast region, according to the Jepson Manual of the Higher Plants of California. People are surprised because they do not think of this semi-desert area which rarely gets frosts as being able to support cherries. Yet, these varieties are well adapted to this climate, with deep roots, and thick — almost waxy — leaves so it can survive periods of drought.
Wild cherries are believed to be the most widespread wild shrub throughout all of North America. The Prunus genus not only includes all wild and domestic cherries, but also nectarines, peaches, plums, and almonds.
One of the first historical accounts of the local Indians eating wild cherries comes to us from Father Junipero Serra, who passed through the San Gabriel Valley area of Southern California in July of 1769. He noted that the local Indians (the “Gabrielinos”) used various fruits, grass seeds and other wild seeds.
Most of the year, the cherry bushes or trees will resemble holly, and people will often guess that they are looking at holly bush. I tell my students to take a leaf and crush it and wait a few seconds to get a whiff of that characteristic odor. Most agree that the odor resembles bitter almond extract used in cakes. In fact, this sweet odor is from the presence of hydrocyanic acid (“cyanide”). This is why you do not make tea from the leaves.
If we are hiking around the cherries in late summer, there will invariably be fruit on the bush. Some will be ripe enough for us to taste. Most people can look at this fruit, and guess that it is edible. (However, I strongly urge you to never assume any wild berry or plant is edible simply because you subjectively think “it looks edible.” That can be a quick way to get sick, or die. Never eat any wild plant if you haven’t positively identified it as an edible species.) I typically will sample a wild cherry and let my students taste one before I tell them what it is. The taste is not identical to commercial farm-grown cherries. There isn’t quite as much sugar in the wild cherries, and they have a bitter underflavor and a tartness that makes them uniquely enjoyable, especially when you’re in the back country with meager food rations. After a few bites, someone will guess that they are eating a cherry.
In wet years, there is a thicker, sweeter layer of pulp around the large seed. In dryer years, the pulp layer is thin — even paper-thin in drought years.
And though the Indian population certainly enjoyed the pulp of these cherries in the past, they considered the seed as the important food source. Seeds were saved, and their thin shells removed. There is a solid pulp inside the pit, just the same as there is with the store-bought cherry pits. When you chew on the pulp, you’ll find a pleasant combination of that almondy-bitterness and sweetness. Though it might be OK to nibble on a few, these seeds were always shelled and leached if substantial amounts were going to be consumed.
The process of removing the hydrocyanic acid is essentially the same as for acorns. You shell the seeds, and boil the pulp for about half an hour, changing the water a few times. Generally, you will not need to process cherry seeds as long as acorns. The final product is then ground into flour, and mixed into breads, pancakes, soups, or other mush-type dishes. It is good, and is a sweet flour.
The Cahuilla people of the desert in the vicinity of Palm Springs called this plant cha-mish, and today refer to it as a chokecherry. They did not typically use the leached seed for breads, but almost exclusively for soups or mush. Sometimes they made the meal into little cakes. When dried, they were quite hard and black. They could then be stored a long time, and would be reconstituted in water before eating. One form of pemmican was also made by adding the fruit of these chokecherries with deer or elk meat.
People of the 1800s and earlier would make syrup and soup from the cherries and use it as a medicine for whooping cough. The Miwok Indians of Northern California believed that eating the raw fruit was good for the voice. The bark of the cherries has been used extensively in cough medicines. The use of cherry fruit or bark in cough medicines was not just for flavor. But like with so many old fashioned medicinal remedies of the past, the modern counterparts that are now sold in stores are typically all sugar and artificial flavors.
Due to the presence of anthocyanins in cherries, eating about 20 cherries provides the same anti-inflammatory effects as two aspirin, according to Alternatives.
Long, straight branches of the various wild cherries are often used for making archery bows, backrests, baby cradles, and various other crafts.
Though great as a trail nibble, there are many recipes that you can make from the seeds’ pulp, and the deseeded fruit. Uses for the fruit include jams and jellies, fruit pemmican, juices, and even ice cream.
