Scientific Name:

Amelanchier alnifolia (34K)

Family Name:

Rose Family

Habitat:

Open forest west to rocky eastern slopes

Characteristics:

1. Bush to small tree (3-25 ft).

2. Leaves simple & oval-shaped with tiny teeth only at the tip of the leaf.

3. 5-long, thin, twisted-white petals.

4. Many stamens.

5. Flowers in clumps.

6. Leaves alternate along stem.

Uses or Importances:

1. Red to black berries are seedy but delicious. May be used in juices, jams, or eaten raw. Early settlers used it for pies, while the Indians used it as a major ingredient of pemmican.

2. Leaves may be boiled for a flavorful tea.

3. Used as a pretty garden shrub in native gardens.