Chapter 4.28
4.28 Pin cherry
Rhys Bendixen, University of Guelph, Canada
Suggested citation for this chapter.
Bendixen,R. (2022) Fleshy Fruits. In The Student Encyclopedia of Canadian Indigenous Foods. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.firstnationsfoods.org/
Background
Pin cherry (Latin name: Prunus Pensylvanica) is a small, deciduous tree located in many areas across Canada. It is commonly known for its small, red and sour berries that it produces. It is a tree that has many different names including “fire cherry tree” because of its seeds that grow in areas cleared by forest fires (AIHDP, N.D.), “bird cherry” because the berries are very popular among songbirds (University of Guelph, 2021), northern pin cherry, wild red cherry, and pigeon cherry (USDA, N.D.). This type of tree can be found in many parts of Canada from Central British Columbia, to the Maritimes and Newfoundland and as far North as southwest Yukon and the Northwest Territories (USDA, N.D.). It also grows as far down south as the Appalachian Mountains and some parts of Tennessee in the United States (AIHDP, N.D.). As a result of this, many Indigenous Peoples of Canada use pin cherry trees including the Ojibwa, Huron, Algonquin, Potawatomi, Cree and Chipewyan groups (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). The tree has an average height of 12 metres and the trunk has an average diameter of 25 cm (Ontario, 2021). A pin cherry tree can be considered as a special type of tree because it grows in different ways compared to other trees. Pin cherries prefer to grow in full sunlight and in moist soils but can also grow in various climates which is noticeable as it is found in almost all parts of Canada and the Northeastern United States. Pin Cherries flower from late March to early July and have a short life span of around 30-40 years (USDA, N.D.).
Benefits
Health benefits
Pin cherries have many benefits to human nutrition and health. Many parts of the tree have been used to treat various diseases and common illnesses and are found to be used in different types of food and drink (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). The most useful part of the tree is the bark. The bark of the pin cherry has many
medical benefits for humans. An infusion of the pin cherry bark, which involves soaking the bark in a liquid into a drink, remedy or extract, has been used to treat fevers, bronchitis, coughs, colds, infections and blood poisoning (Natural Medicinal Herbs, N.D. ). The inner part of the bark has also been infused to be used as an eye wash for sore eyes (Natural Medicinal Herbs, N.D.). A decoction of the inner bark has also been used to treat laryngitis (Natural medicinal herbs, N.D.), the inflammation of the larynx (voice box) causes the vocal cords to swell and result in muffled sounds such as a whisper or squeak when trying to talk (Wood et al, 2014). In addition to this, a poultice of the boiled and shredded inner part of the bark can be applied to stop a bleeding umbilical cord (Natural Medicinal Herbs, N.D.). In terms of other parts of the tree, the cherries produced by pin cherry trees are also domestically used in preparation of cough mixtures (Natural Medicinal Herbs, N.D.). To continue, the fruit also contains hydrogen cyanide which, in small amounts, stimulates respiration and improves digestion and is also claimed to be beneficial in the treatment of cancer (Natural Medicinal Herbs, N.D.). For nutritional benefits, the berries grown on pin cherries have been used in a variety of foods including eaten raw or cooked; however, the fruit has been found to be too sour to be eaten raw, and made into pies and jellies (Natural Medicinal Herbs, N.D.). The fruits can also be dried or powdered for storage in the winter (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991).
Environment benefits
In most situations, the pin cherry tree has been found to be the preferred choice for restoring wooded areas and natural habitats because the seeds of the tree grow fast in clear cut regions caused by deforestation and forest fires (AIHDP, N.D.). Pin cherries have also been found to be beneficial to multiple types of animals. Over twenty-five species of birds and mammals can eat the fruit of pin cherries (USDA, N.D.). The foliage and twigs of the tree are browsed by deer; however, the foliage is not a good choice for deer nutrition as it contains a high ratio of calcium to phosphorus (USDA, N.D.). The tree also has benefits to ecosystems because since the tree grows rapidly, it is beneficial for minimizing loss of nutrients in the ecosystem (USDA, N.D.). The trees have also been beneficial in preventing soil erosion and landslides in high-risk areas of natural disasters, and stabilizing eroding soils and river banks because of its vigorous root system (University of Guelph, 2021).
Special uses
Pin cherries, in general, are not used for lumber as they are considered a noncommercial species. However, the tree produces large quantities of biomass in a short period of time and has been used for fiber and fuel as the species has been described as well adapted to intensive management and chip harvesting (USDA, N.D.).
Limitations
While pin cherries do have environmental and health benefits, there are limitations and hazards to the uses of pin cherries. The berries themselves contain hydrogen cyanide which can cause respiratory failure and can be fatal if a person consumes large quantities of the berries (Natural Medicinal Herbs, ND.). Any type of Prunus or Pyrus species also contain a cyanide-producing glycosides found in the leaves, bark and seed kernels which when eaten can cause nausea, vomiting and can possibly be fatal to whoever consumes large amounts of the fruit, bark or leaves (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). Additionally, the pin cherry would not be found in wooded areas where there are larger trees grown around pin cherries as the taller tree restricts sunlight and pin cherries require vast amounts of sunlight to grow and survive (Ontario, 2021). The pin cherry tree is also considered a wild food as it grows in open areas across Canada and is a wild food to different animals including birds, deer, and bears (USDA, N.D.).
References
1. Kuhnlein, H. V., & Humphries, M. M. (n.d.). Regions and Cultures. Traditional Animal Foods of Indigenous Peoples of Northern North America. Retrieved November 28, 2021, from http://traditionalanimalfoods.org/cultures.aspx.
2. Kuhnlein, H. V., & Turner, N. J. (1991). Traditional Plant Foods of Canadian Indigenous Peoples. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.fao.org/3/ai215e/ai215e.pdf.
3. Natural Medicinal Herbs. (n.d.). Pin Cherry. Medicinal Herbs: PIN CHERRY - Prunus pensylvanica. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/p/prunus-pensylvanica=pin-cherry.php.
4. Sheu, S. (n.d.). Foods indigenous to the Western Hemisphere- Pin Cherry. American Indian Health and Diet Project- University of Kansas. Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://aihd.ku.edu/foods/PinCherry.html.
5. University of Guelph Arboretum. (n.d.). Pin cherry - prunus pensylvanica. University of Guelph. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://arboretum.uoguelph.ca/thingstosee/trees/pincherry.
6. Wendel, G. W. (n.d.). Pin Cherry. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/prunus/pensylvanica.htm.
7. Wood, J. M., Athanasiadis, T., & Allen, J. (2014). Laryngitis. JSTOR. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/26517474.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A230a4c5713eeab8b2f6b334bed3ab61c.
8. Government of Ontario. (2021, October 6). Pin cherry. ontario.ca. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/pin-cherry#:~:text=In%20the%20spring%2C%20the%20pin%20cherry%20tree%20is,removes%20the%20forest%20cover.%20Where%20it%20is%20found.