Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Montana Indian Food, Staple Fruit used as an important ingredient in the preparation of 'pemmican.' Pemmican was made by the Sioux and other tribes by mixing certain berries, such as the buffalo berry, the choke cherry and the sarvice berry with the fat of the buffalo, pounding up the whole which was then packed away in skins. Sometimes jerked buffalo was put into an oven to render it brittle, beaten up on a skin with these berries, some marrow fat being added to give consistency, and finally packed in skin bags. This was a regular article of commerce and highly prized by the old trappers and hunters for its portability as a condensed food and for its keeping qualities. Later the flesh and tallow of the ox was substituted for that of the buffalo and is still used to some extent. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 19 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Montana Indian Food, Winter Use Food Crushed, dried fruit strips stored for winter use. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 19 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Montana Indian Other, Hunting & Fishing Item Straight shoots used to make arrow shafts. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 19 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Navajo Other, Ceremonial Items Wood used to make dance implements, prayersticks and square hoops for ceremonies. Elmore, Francis H., 1944, Ethnobotany of the Navajo, Sante Fe, NM. School of American Research, page 54 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Navajo Other, Sacred Items Tree sacred to the Navajo. Elmore, Francis H., 1944, Ethnobotany of the Navajo, Sante Fe, NM. School of American Research, page 54 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Ojibwa Food, Dried Food Fruit dried for winter use. Reagan, Albert B., 1928, Plants Used by the Bois Fort Chippewa (Ojibwa) Indians of Minnesota, Wisconsin Archeologist 7(4):230-248, page 235 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Ojibwa Food, Fruit Fruit eaten fresh. Reagan, Albert B., 1928, Plants Used by the Bois Fort Chippewa (Ojibwa) Indians of Minnesota, Wisconsin Archeologist 7(4):230-248, page 235 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Ojibwa Food, Soup Dried fruit ground into a flour and used to make soup. Reagan, Albert B., 1928, Plants Used by the Bois Fort Chippewa (Ojibwa) Indians of Minnesota, Wisconsin Archeologist 7(4):230-248, page 235 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Okanagon Food, Staple Berries used as a principle food. Teit, James A., 1928, The Salishan Tribes of the Western Plateaus, SI-BAE Annual Report #45, page 238 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Oregon Indian Drug, Antidiarrheal Pounded, dried cherries mixed with dry salmon and sugar and used for dysentery. Murphey, Edith Van Allen, 1990, Indian Uses of Native Plants, Glenwood, Ill. Meyerbooks. Originally published in 1959, page 42 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Drug, Analgesic Dried, pulverized bark smoked for headache or headcold. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Drug, Cold Remedy Decoction of peeled bark or root taken for colds and bark smoked for headcolds. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Drug, Cough Medicine Decoction of peeled bark or root taken for coughs and colds. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Drug, Dermatological Aid Pulverized, dried bark used as a drying powder on sores. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Drug, Eye Medicine Steam from boiling bark allowed to rise into the eyes for snowblindness. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Drug, Herbal Steam Steam from boiling bark allowed to rise into the eyes for snowblindness. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Drug, Tuberculosis Remedy Decoction of leaves, bark or roots taken for tuberculosis. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Food, Beverage Bark and twigs made into a tea and taken with meals. Mahar, James Michael., 1953, Ethnobotany of the Oregon Paiutes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Reed College, B.A. Thesis, page 84 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Food, Beverage Fruits added to hot water and used as a beverage. Kelly, Isabel T., 1932, Ethnography of the Surprise Valley Paiute, University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 31(3):67-210, page 99 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Food, Beverage Stems used to make tea. Kelly, Isabel T., 1932, Ethnography of the Surprise Valley Paiute, University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 31(3):67-210, page 99 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Food, Dried Food Fruits broken, molded into cakes, hardened, ground, boiled, dried and used for food. Kelly, Isabel T., 1932, Ethnography of the Surprise Valley Paiute, University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 31(3):67-210, page 99 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Food, Fruit Chokecherry cakes ground and boiled with flour, sugar and occasionally roasted deer liver. Mahar, James Michael., 1953, Ethnobotany of the Oregon Paiutes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Reed College, B.A. Thesis, page 84 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Food, Fruit Fruits eaten fresh. Kelly, Isabel T., 1932, Ethnography of the Surprise Valley Paiute, University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology 31(3):67-210, page 99 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Food, Winter Use Food Chokecherries made into cakes for winter use. Mahar, James Michael., 1953, Ethnobotany of the Oregon Paiutes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Reed College, B.A. Thesis, page 84 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute Other, Hunting & Fishing Item Limbs used for arrow shafts. Mahar, James Michael., 1953, Ethnobotany of the Oregon Paiutes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, Reed College, B.A. Thesis, page 84 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute, Northern Food, Bread & Cake Berries mashed, made into round cakes and eaten dry. Fowler, Catherine S., 1989, Willards Z. Park's Ethnographic Notes on the Northern Paiute of Western Nevada 1933-1940, Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press, page 49 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute, Northern Food, Dried Food Berries dried, cooked and eaten. Fowler, Catherine S., 1989, Willards Z. Park's Ethnographic Notes on the Northern Paiute of Western Nevada 1933-1940, Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press, page 49 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute, Northern Food, Fruit Berries eaten ripe. Fowler, Catherine S., 1989, Willards Z. Park's Ethnographic Notes on the Northern Paiute of Western Nevada 1933-1940, Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press, page 49 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute, Northern Food, Porridge Berries dried, ground and boiled into a mush. Fowler, Catherine S., 1989, Willards Z. Park's Ethnographic Notes on the Northern Paiute of Western Nevada 1933-1940, Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press, page 49 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute, Northern Food, Winter Use Food Berries dried and stored for winter use. Fowler, Catherine S., 1989, Willards Z. Park's Ethnographic Notes on the Northern Paiute of Western Nevada 1933-1940, Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press, page 49 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Paiute, Northern Other, Smoke Plant Berries mashed, made into little cakes, dried and used like chewing tobacco. Fowler, Catherine S., 1989, Willards Z. Park's Ethnographic Notes on the Northern Paiute of Western Nevada 1933-1940, Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press, page 49 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Round Valley Indian Food, Dried Food Fruits dried and used for food. Chestnut, V. K., 1902, Plants Used by the Indians of Mendocino County, California, Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 7:295-408., page 356 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Round Valley Indian Food, Fruit Fruits eaten. Chestnut, V. K., 1902, Plants Used by the Indians of Mendocino County, California, Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium 7:295-408., page 356 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Shoshoni Drug, Antiemetic Decoction of bark taken for indigestion or upset stomach. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Shoshoni Drug, Eye Medicine Steam from boiling bark allowed to rise into the eyes for snowblindness. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Shoshoni Drug, Gastrointestinal Aid Decoction of bark taken for indigestion or upset stomach. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Shoshoni Drug, Herbal Steam Steam from boiling bark allowed to rise into the eyes for snowblindness. Train, Percy, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer, 1941, Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada, Washington DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, page 123124 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Shuswap Food, Beverage Boiled roots used to make beer. Palmer, Gary, 1975, Shuswap Indian Ethnobotany, Syesis 8:29-51, page 67 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Shuswap Food, Beverage Dried berries used to make wine. Palmer, Gary, 1975, Shuswap Indian Ethnobotany, Syesis 8:29-51, page 67 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Shuswap Food, Winter Use Food Berries dried for winter use. Palmer, Gary, 1975, Shuswap Indian Ethnobotany, Syesis 8:29-51, page 67 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Shuswap Other, Paint Berries mixed with bear grease and used to make paint for painting pictographs. Palmer, Gary, 1975, Shuswap Indian Ethnobotany, Syesis 8:29-51, page 67 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Sioux Drug, Adjuvant Wood used to make 'medicine-spoons' for use in ceremonial dog feasts. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 19 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Sioux Drug, Antidiarrheal Infusion of bark used for dysentery. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 19 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Sioux Drug, Ceremonial Medicine Wood used to make 'medicine-spoons' for use in ceremonial dog feasts. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 19 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Sioux Drug, Hemostat Dried roots chewed and placed in bleeding wounds. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 19 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Spokan Food, Fruit Berries used for food. Teit, James A., 1928, The Salishan Tribes of the Western Plateaus, SI-BAE Annual Report #45, page 343 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Thompson Drug, Gynecological Aid Decoction of bark taken after childbirth as a strengthening tonic. Steedman, E.V., 1928, The Ethnobotany of the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, SI-BAE Annual Report #45:441-522, page 477 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Thompson Drug, Tonic Decoction of bark taken as a tonic. Steedman, E.V., 1928, The Ethnobotany of the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, SI-BAE Annual Report #45:441-522, page 477 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Thompson Food, Unspecified Dark purple drupe used as part of the diet. Steedman, E.V., 1928, The Ethnobotany of the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, SI-BAE Annual Report #45:441-522, page 490 |
Prunus virginiana var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. Western Chokecherry USDA PRVID |
Thompson Other, Designs Shredded bark used to ornament the rims of baskets. Steedman, E.V., 1928, The Ethnobotany of the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, SI-BAE Annual Report #45:441-522, page 500 |