Chapters 4.39

From Firstnationsfoods
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Prunus americana.jpg

Suggested citation for this chapter.

Ryan,N. (2022) Fleshy Fruits. In The Student Encyclopedia of Canadian Indigenous Foods. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.firstnationsfoods.org/

Food Description

The American plum (Prunus americana) is a species of plum under the genus Prunus. There are many varieties of plum similar to the American plum found throughout North America, such as the Canada plum (Prunus nigra) and the Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia) (Harvard, 1895). For the purpose of this report, the American plum will be focused on, but there will be overlapping information that involves the other species, as well.

The American plum takes the form of a rather small, meandering, deciduous tree that can grow up to be around nine metres tall (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). Its leaves are pointy, thin, and ovular in shape, while their flowers start out white, before turning pink (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). These flowers are typically very vibrant and one tree will soon end up completely covered in them (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). The fruits the tree produces are small, mainly red, and their skin can be quite tough (Small, 2014). They typically become ripe late in the summer and grow to around 2.5 centimetres in diametre. The flesh of the fruit is yellow, with a sour taste and contains one pit in its centre (Small, 2014). Native American plums are known to be very hardy and can survive extremely cold temperatures. Some of the more northern varieties can tolerate temperatures as low as −58°C (Small, 2014).

Historical Background

American plums are native to North America and have been growing wild long before European colonists arrived. However, there is evidence suggesting that the American plum has also been organically cultivated by Indigenous peoples living in what is now known as Canada and New England (Harvard, 1895). It is even possible that the Indigenous cultivation of the American plum extended as far west as Mississippi (Harvard, 1895). In terms of how the Indigenous peoples cultivated them, it is likely that their orchards were rarely planted regularly. More likely is that they were the result of the accidental dropping of seeds near their communities and villages (Harvard, 1895). When European colonists arrived, they made great use of the American plum, enjoying the sweeter fruits (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). Many of these native American plums did end up becoming the source of the cultivated varieties found nowadays, but most of them also ended up mixing with the European varieties of plums. These, of course, were brought over with the arrival of the European colonists (Davidson and Jaine, 2006). Essentially, the vast majority of the plums found in grocery stores today are hybrids of native and European plums (Davidson and Jaine, 2006).

Food Use by Indigenous Peoples

The American plum was widely consumed by various groups of Indigenous peoples, such as the Iroquois, Huron, Algonquin, Malecite, Micmac, Ojibwa, and many groups from the American Plains, such as the Pawnee and Cheyenne (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). The fruits were eaten in many different ways, such as fresh off the branch or preserved through winter (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). The Iroquois people would make a coffee substitute from them, by cutting and pitting dried plums, and then adding boiling water to them (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). The fruits were also commonly used as a sweetener, being cooked into sauces and cakes, or dried whole so they could be stored for later (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991).

Geography

Figure 1.0: American Plum Distribution in North America (Small, 2014)

In the wild, American plum trees grow in thickets and around forest edges on limestone hillsides and in the valleys of rivers (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). They have a wide range and can be found all across North America, ranging from Canada to northern Mexico (Small, 2014). However, they primarily grow in southeastern Canada and in the northeastern United States. Their primary Canadian range extends from southwestern Manitoba in the west to Nova Scotia in the east, while their primary American range extends as far west as Iowa and as far south as Georgia (Kuhnlein and Turner, 1991). This range is very different from that of the Chickasaw plum, which is thought to be native to the eastern edge of the southern Rocky Mountains (Harvard, 1895). American plums can grow in many different substrates, depending on the species. These can range from well-drained sandy soil to land with very poor drainage (Small, 2014).

Benefits

American plums are rich in many important nutrients which are beneficial to humans: vitamins A, B12, and C, as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus (Health Canada, 2008). All varieties of plums, and their dried form prunes, are known for having a laxative effect on people when consumed (Small, 2014). Throughout the past and present, they have often been used as a source of medicine by Indigenous people across North America. (USDA, 2002).

Limitations

They can have high yields, but since they are known to be quite small, many would need to be harvested at a time in order for there to be enough to feed a group of people (Small, 2014). Plums are, in general, smaller than many of the popular fruits that come from other fruit trees. A good example to illustrate this difference is with apples. In the United States, there is vastly more apple production than there is plum production (USDA, 2022). As of 2021, the amount, in pounds, of apples produced is in the billions, while the amount of plums produced is in the hundreds of millions (USDA, 2022). This is relatively small in comparison. Of course, this could just mean that more apple trees are grown in the United States than plums, but it likely also comes down to the fact that apples are much larger than plums, so one apple tree is able to produce significantly more pounds of fruit than a plum tree is. This makes it more difficult to use plums as means of feeding a population, especially compared to fruits like the apple.

There is also a very small risk involved with consumption of all species in the genus Prunus. Hydrogen cyanide (cyanide) is found in all parts of Prunus plants, excluding the fleshy part of the fruit, which is the only part of these plants that should be consumed (Small, 2014). Typically, the cyanide is concentrated in the seed, so that should be avoided at all costs (Small, 2014). There is still a risk in the other part of the plants, though. Some children have had cyanide poisoning after chewing the twigs of a Prunus plant (Small, 2014).

References

1.Davidson, A & Jaine, T. (2006). The Oxford Companion to Food (2nd ed.). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press

2.Harvard, V. (1895). Food Plants of the North American Indians. Torrey Botanical Society, 22(3), 98-123. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/2477757

3.Health Canada. (2008). Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods. Retrieved from Health Canada

4.Kuhnlein, H.V & Turner, N.J. (1991). Traditional Plant Foods of Canadian Indigenous Peoples. The Netherlands: Overseas Publishers Association

5.Small, E. (2014). North American Cornucopia. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press

6.United States Department of Agriculture. (2002). Plant Fact Sheet American Plum. Retrieved from United States Department of Agriculture

7.United States Department of Agriculture. (2022). Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts Summary.