Alagnaq
Rubus spectabilis Pursh
Plant
Salmonberries are one of the first wild fruits available each summer. They grow on prickly shrubs found in open habitats. The plant has dark pink flowers that develop into large, watery, raspberry-like berries. The berries are best in July, but are often available from mid-June to mid-August.
Food: People use salmonberries in jams, jellies, wine, and deserts like cittaq, a dish made by mashing berries with milk and sugar. People also peal and eat salmonberry stems, suck the nectar from salmonberry flowers, and eat the flowers.
Medicine: Salmonberry leaves and powdered salmonberry bark can be used to treat skin problems. People apply a poultice of the old, dead leaves–collected from beneath the plant–to rashes, cuts, and sores to promote healing. The leaves can be dampened and heated first.
Ecology: An abundance of salmonberries means pink salmon will be plentiful. It also forecasts a snowy winter.
