Bitter-berry

Prunus virginiana is one of the most extensively documented medicinal plants in Native American ethnobotany, with 165 recorded uses across more than thirty tribes. The Cherokee, Iroquois, Blackfoot, Chippewa, Cheyenne, Thompson, and Okanagan-Colville were among the most prolific users. Drug applications dominate the record (90 uses), led by antidiarrheal preparations (16 uses), dermatological aids (8), gastrointestinal aids (6), cough medicines (5), and pediatric remedies (5), with additional applications for throat ailments, colds, blood disorders, gynecological conditions, tuberculosis, fevers, and as cathartics and analgesics (NAEB).

Bark preparations, particularly inner bark decoctions, were the most widely employed medicinal form. The Cherokee used bark tea for coughs, colds, and as a sedative for nervous afflictions; the Iroquois prepared bark infusions for diarrhea and to treat consumption (Herrick, 1977). Blackfoot healers used bark and root preparations to ease childbirth and treat stomach complaints, while the Cheyenne and Lakota relied on the bark for diarrhea and as a general tonic (Hart, 1981). Pemmican made from dried, pounded chokecherries (stones included) was a staple food among Plains tribes and considered the most important fruit in many traditional diets (Kindscher, 1987). The fruit was also processed into beverages, soups, breads, and sauces (NAEB Food/Fruit, 20 uses).