Salmonberries look like a raspberry, but aren’t the same! Salmonberries may have more of a red or yellow colour to them. They are found along the coastal states and provinces of Canada and US. The plant is less thorny than its popular look-alike, the raspberry bush.
Berries can be found from early May to late July and can be made into jams, jellies, and used in baked goods. Indigenous people have used the berries in their diet, and can be eaten with salmon, animal oils, other berries, and the young shoots can be eaten like asparagus. They could even be used to flavour beer and wine! The plant also has medicinal value, too! They can be used to treat diarrhea, and the leaves can be used as an ingredient to treat burns and open sores.
If you ever see salmonberries while spending time in the northwest coastal regions of North America, remember their value, usefulness, and heritage to the local peoples!
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