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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Mystery Berry Positive ID

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  • From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Mystery Berry Positive ID
  • Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 21:23:49 -0700

Interesting. We have the species growing here (Oregon). It's the first thing to leaf out and bloom in the spring, and the foliage smells like cucumber. It's a large shrub or small tree, usually growing under other trees. This year, I found one in a fence row that had the largest crop I've ever seen on one of them. The fruits were considered an emergency food by the Indians, to be eaten when there wasn't much else because the fruits have so little flesh on them. On a whim I saved a carton of the fruits, which have now dried from sitting in the room. Not enough flesh to spoil. I've been debating what to do with them. I certainly don't need them, since I have the original tree. However, if anyone is curious, you could get seed from Richard and from me and grow them out for comparison. Strains from opposite sides of the country.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.
For even more grape lessons, go to http://www.grapeschool.com
For growing supplies and more; http://www.grapegrowersolutions.com

On Sep 6, 2007, at 8:08 PM, Richard MURPHY wrote:

<x-tad-bigger>If you all would like to see an oddball..........</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>I have these things growing in my hedgerow in zone 4 Maine.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Not just one tree, but several.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>I sent in a hi-res photo a while ago, but we won't need that one any more.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>The plant, without doubt, is an Indian Plum / Oso Berry / Bird Cherry / Skunk Bush / Indian Peach.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Not a Prunus anything. The little plums don't have the longitudinal (bum crack) I don't know the correct term,</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>that a plum has, nor is it shaped like a cherry. It is shaped like a chubby Lima bean.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>They are :Osmaronia Cerasiformis</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>The book that ID them is Wild Edible Fruits and Berries by Marcia Furlong and Virginia Pill.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>The photo on page 23 is a Slam-Dunk copy of them.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Google Images also backed this up.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>The closest Prunus was the Pin Cherry; close but no cigar.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>I have some protective netting around one small cluster for a taste.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Right away, I'll tell you all that this doesn't appear to promise much in the way of Yummy stuff.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>I found one 'ripe' one, and it is basically a big flat seed, a few milligrams of 'Raisin Paste', and a purple wrapper.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Anybody have these ?</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Anybody want any seeds ?</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Anybody wanna expand my vocabulary for me?</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Murph</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>BTW I got that book, used, for 3 bucks. Small but has odd stuff.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>_______________________________________________
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