Shepherdia canadensis

Shepherdia canadensis, commonly called Canada buffaloberry, russet buffaloberry, soopolallie, soapberry, or foamberry (Ktunaxa: kupaʔtiⱡ) is one of a small number of shrubs of the genus Shepherdia that bears edible berries.

Description

A spreading shrub. It grows 2.4 m high and spreads 2.4 m wide. It does not have thorns. The young twigs and buds are covered with reddish-brown scales. The leaves are are oval and dark yellowish green. They are white underneath. Plants are separately male and female. The flowers are creamy yellow. The fruit are yellow or red.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried and used like currants. The flavour is tart but pleasant before frost, becoming sweeter after cold weather. Another account describes the fruit as bitter, used dried, smoked, or pressed into cakes. A traditional preparation among North American Indian peoples involved beating the berries with an equal quantity of water until a foam with the consistency of beaten eggs formed — it was essential that no grease came into contact with the berries, as this would prevent foaming. The foam was then flavoured with sweet foods such as cooked quamash bulbs or other fruits and served as a special treat at feasts. The taste is bittersweet and not always enjoyed on first encounter, though it tends to grow on the palate. Today sugar is commonly used to sweeten it, and the result is known as Indian ice cream. The fruit should be eaten in moderation due to its saponin content. Individual fruits are about 5mm in diameter.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh. They are also made into preserves. They can be dried for later use. They can be used for making foaming drinks. The berries have little taste but are eaten. They are also used for drinks. The fruit can be beaten in water until a foam is produced then adding sugar. This will not occur if oil is present. They are smoked and dried.

Medicinal Uses

Buffalo berry was widely used medicinally by several North American Indian tribes, though it sees little or no use in modern herbalism. A poultice of bark softened in hot water and mixed with pin cherry bark (Prunus pensylvanica) was applied as a plaster or bandage for broken limbs. An infusion of the bark was used as a wash for sore eyes. The roots are antihaemorrhagic and cathartic; an infusion has been used as an aid to childbirth and in treating tuberculosis and the coughing up of blood. A decoction of the stems served as a stomach tonic, and was also used to treat stomach cancer, constipation, high blood pressure, and venereal disease. A decoction of stems and leaves was applied as a wash for sores, cuts, and swellings. A decoction of the whole plant was used externally as a wash and rub for aching limbs, arthritic joints, and head and face sores. The inner bark is laxative, taken as an infusion for constipation. The berries have been eaten to treat high blood pressure. Fruit juice has been drunk for digestive disorders and applied externally for acne and boils.

Known Hazards

The fruit is edible, but the saponin chemicals it contains may cause gastrointestinal irritation if large quantities are consumed. Unrelated plants in the genus Sapindus, also commonly denominated "soapberry", produce toxic saponins. Some Canadian First Nations peoples such as Nlaka'pamux (Thompson), St'at'imc (Lillooet), and Secwepemc (Shuswap) in the Province of British Columbia extensively collect the berries. The bitter berries (which may be sweetened by frosts) are processed with other berries as Indian ice cream. The saponins create a foam when the berry is whipped into a dessert dish. First Nations peoples believe that the berry has many health properties and it was used by Sioux to treat gastrointestinal illnesses. Native-themed restaurants in British Columbia have occasionally offered the berries on their menus.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. They often grow in dry rocky environments and along streams. It suits hardiness zones 2-9.

Where It Grows

Alaska, Arctic, Australia, Britain, Canada, Europe, North America, USA,

Propagation

Seed must not be allowed to dry out. It is best harvested in autumn and sown immediately in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 2–3 months of cold stratification. Prick out seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle. If sufficient growth is made they can be planted out during summer; otherwise overwinter in a cold frame and plant out the following spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood taken in July or August and placed in a frame sometimes succeed.

Other Uses

Due to its saponin content, the fruit can serve as a soap substitute when macerated in water to release the saponins. A decoction of the branches has been used as a hair tonic that simultaneously dyes and curls the hair. Branches were harvested in midsummer, broken up, and boiled for 2–3 hours in water until the liquid resembled brown coffee. The liquid was then decanted and bottled without further treatment; it stores well for a long time. Rubbed into the hair, it dyes it a brownish colour while curling it. The berries, the foam made from them, or a jelly of the fruit have been eaten as an insect repellent — it was said that mosquitoes were far less likely to bite someone who had eaten the fruit. The shrubs also provide food and shelter for birds and mammals, and the bark and leaf litter offer overwintering habitat for insects and ground-dwelling invertebrates.

Other Information

They are widely used. The fruit are canned and also frozen.

Also Known As

Soapberry, Soopolallie, Wiapui

References (29)

• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994) (As Lepargyrea canadensis)
• Cormack, R. G. H., 1967, Wild Flowers of Alberta. Commercial Printers Edmonton, Canada. p 211
• Coutre, M. D., et al, 1986, Foraging Behaviour of a Contemporary Northern Great Basin Population. Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology Vol. 8(2) pp 150-160
• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1338
• Elias, T.S. & Dykeman P.A., 1990, Edible Wild Plants. A North American Field guide. Sterling, New York p 179

More from Elaeagnaceae

Elaeagnus conferta

Wild olive

🌱

Elaeagnus cordifolia

Elaeagnus difficilis

Elaeagnus formosana

Elaeagnus fragrans

Elaeagnus glabra

Goat nipple