This plant is classified as a shrub, erect, branching to 4 m tall from branching rhizomes. This shrub forms dense thickets with twigs zigzagging with scattered prickles. The bark is golden brown and is easily shredded.
The leaves are alternate, deciduous, usually with three leaflets, dark green and sharply toothed.
Pink to red to reddish purple large flowers. 1 to 2 or occasionally up to 4, on short branches.
Yellow or red, mushy raspberries; edible, but reviews range from so-so to “one of the best berries out there.”
Widely distributed in moist to wet places (forests, disturbed sites) often plentiful along stream edges, avalanche tracks and in wet logged areas. Mostly at low to subalpine elevations.
Both sprouts and berries were an important food source for all north-west coastal people. The young stem sprouts were gathered in early spring through early summer as a green vegetable by many tribes. The sprouts were peeled and eaten raw, having a sweet and juicy tast. Another popular preparation was to boil the sprouts. Some tribes mixed the berries in oolichan grease or dried salmon spawn, and the berries were often eaten in conjunction with salmon. (One of the possible reasons behind its name) Salmon berries are one of the first berries to rippen (May-June) in the Pacific north-west. Impossible to dry because of the amount of water present in the berries.
Salmon berry patches, along with some other plant that were considered food, could be owned by a family or even an individual. One group, the Nuu-chat-nulth, would hold ownership over a certain berry patch until enough boxes of berries were harvested. After that the berry patch would revert back to communal use.
Both sprouts and berries are still widely eaten today, as they are a favorite of especially children.
Throughout the North-west coast, the ripening of salmon berries is associated with the song of the Swainson’s thrush, called “salmon berry bird” in many languages.
Salmon berries often form extensive clones, some tastier than others. So make sure to sample berries from a variety of different, spread apart locations. Although a lot of sources call the berries appeal “insipid,” a lot of people really like them. They do tend to be mushy and doubly after rain comes through.
TIP: DON’T PILE SALMON BERRIES MORE THAN 5 cm DEEP IN A PAIL OR YOU WILL END UP WITH NOTHING BUT MUSH!
A green unripe berry. ( to early in the season)
Photography by: sapper11g
Location: Nisqually Wilflife Preserve
Shot with IPhone X
