Osoberry - c’əx̌ʷədac - (Oemlaria cerasiformis)
Osoberry is a tree like shrub, with brown to purple bark, producing delicate white flowers in early spring that transition into edible berries in late spring. These berries appear in an array of yellow, orange, and red, by the end of spring maturing to black. This shrub is one of the earliest to bloom, making it a primary nectar source for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and pollinators. As the berries begin to develop, the osoberry fruit attracts birds, and the bitter fruit is edible for humans as well. Native Americans have consumed small quantities of the berries cooked, dried, and fresh. The twigs of the osoberry shrub have also been used as a pain medication, by chewing them and applying the paste to sore places on the external body or eaten and used as a mild laxative.
*Suitable for full sun, partial shade, or full shade
*Prefers moist, well-drained soils.
*Can grow 15 ft high, with a width of 5-10 ft
*Suitable in a woodland garden, in open forests
*Sold Bare Root.
*Sold in bundles of 5.
c’əx̌ʷədac *Lushootseed provided by the Puyallup Tribal Language Program and audio by Chris Briden, Puyallup Tribal member.