Prunus virginiana
Bobwhite black cherry ( Prunus virginiana)
The Virginian black cherry ( Prunus virginiana) is a species of the genus Prunus. Resembles the European Bird Cherry and Cherry Laurel. In contrast to many types is the Eurasian cyanide content, except in the block cores is so small that the fruits are suitable for human consumption. She was especially important as vitamin supplier for the indigenous population. In Lakota it was called canpá sápa what can be translated as " Black Cherry" ( sápa = black; canpá = Cherry, Cherry, " Sauer - tree ", can = tree, wood pa = sour, bitter ). They often forms thickets and thus contributes to soil stabilization in sandy areas at.
Description
The Bobwhite Bird Cherry is a small, densely branched, stocky, prone to dwarfing shrub or small tree (rarely higher than a man on the prairie ). The bark is reddish brown and smooth, with small bright warts ( lenticels ). The change-constant leaves are elliptic to obovate and acuminate with finely serrated edge. You are strong medium to dark green, glabrous and shiny fitted with a thick layer of wax, but not as leathery as in the laurel cherry. The blade length is about 9 inches.
The cream- white, inconspicuous, sweet-smelling flowers grow in hanging clusters. The flowering time is dependent on the location.
The chickpeas about big, round, dark red at first, then black shiny stone fruits have a stone core per fruit and relatively little flesh. Not yet fully ripe reddish fruits are slightly astringent. The fruits are eaten by humans and animals, especially bears and birds, they like to eat.
Ecology
In the northern part of the range it grows as undergrowth in forests. Because of the numerous cherry fruit it is important for the wildlife inventory of the respective biotope. For sheep, cattle and horses, but the foliage is toxic due to the cyanide content. Flowering time depending on site conditions from April to June, the leaves are blowing out before flowering.
Occurrence
It is the American Prunus species most widely used. It comes in various regional subspecies of the Canadian prairie lands to Texas and from Newfoundland to British Columbia. They are found around the Great Lakes in the East and from North Carolina to California and south to New Mexico. In addition, it is found in some wetter areas throughout the Great Plains, approximately along the river and stream banks, in ravines and valleys, on cooler mountain slopes and in at least partially wooded areas and ecologically important in the otherwise treeless Missouri Territory.
Use
For the indigenous people of the Bobwhite Bird Cherry was as vitamin supplier so significant that the Lakota have named a month in which they natural calendar after the ripening time of the fruit: Canpá Sapa Wi = July ( cherry -red- moon). Even the appointment of the Sun Dance, in Lakota wiwányank wacipi was set to mature wild cherries. Because of its importance as a food she was also generally in ceremonies significant, and was served as a symbol of fertility.
The English name " Chokecherry " (such as: " Würg cherry " ) alludes to the difficult to remove stone cores that need to be spat upon consumption of fresh fruits. The fruits can be eaten raw or cooked compote, jelly and jam. The Lakota was a kind canpá wójapi, red fruit jelly, a traditional dish. The taste of raw fruit is sour and is reminiscent of the fruit of the blackthorn and native wild cherries. Since the fruits are very difficult to stone, the fruits were dried as raisins and crushed with the nuclei of the Lakota and other tribes. The resulting powder was used as an ingredient for the manufacture of pemmican, in Lakota Wasna.