Chokecherry is one of the early wild trees/bushes that provides blossoms for bees wild and domestic. The distinctive flower clusters are succeeded by “drupes” of berries in July through September. Bees work them for pollen and nectar. Chokecherry likes a sunny edge along a road or field or water course. Well pollinated the berries can be prolific and are easily “milked” off the stems. Jams, syrups, juice,wine. Scary factoid: the seeds contain hydrocyanic acid (cousin to cyanide – poison) and cooking is necessary to neutralize this acid and straining out the seed is a good idea, too. Now I’d always thought that saskatoon (serviceberry) would be the berry ingredient in pemmican. Wrong! According to my reading for this post, chokecherry was the berry component of pemmican. Chokecherries would certainly be quicker picking than saskatoons, but where one is sweet, the other will pucker you up. Need more input.
