View photos of the edible plant, Prunus domestica (Common plum).
Prunus domestica (Common plum)
Prunus domestica (Common plum)
Prunus domestica (Common plum)
Prunus domestica (Common plum)
Prunus domestica (Common plum)
Prunus domestica (Common plum)
Prunus domestica (Common plum)
Photos are of the mythical/vortexy Plum patch along Oak Creek Canyon, just north of Sedona. I led a group there, maybe two years ago (2021), and we stumbled upon this old homestead Plum grove. This was in September, while they were in peak ripeness. Needless to say, we ate our fill!
I counted about 2-dozen small trees. They likely don’t produce bumper crops like this every year. They are old – maybe 100+ years? We lucked out though.
A quick web search of Prunus domestica (Common plum) leads me to believe this is the “Victoria” cultivar, one of the old standards. If I were a fruit-tree growing guy in the high desert/middle southwest, I would be searching out seed from this grove to propagate. It is the magical vortex plum after all.
Black chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa)
Black chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa)
Black chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa)
Black chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa)
Black chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa)
Black chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa)
A passage from Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States:
The plant’s particular cyanogenic glycoside content, a compound group common to many plants within the Rose family, is at least partly responsible for its sedative activity on the pneumal and cardiovascular systems. Even for straight–forward heart palpitations dependent on debility, psychosomatic responses to stress, or overexertion, Wild cherry is calming.
A passage from Wild Edible Plants of Colorado:
The pits, leaves, and bark contain small amounts of cyanogenic glycosides, common to many Rose family plants. Cooking/heating/drying degrades these compounds. Prior to ripening, Chokecherries are very astringent.
A passage from Wild Edible Plants of New Mexico:
Chokecherries are edible fresh picked from the tree or prepared as a jam/jelly. When fully ripe (black) they are sweet and have a very pleasant wild cherry (hint of bitter) flavor. Naturally, the pits (seeds) should first be spit out before the fruit is eaten (or removed if processing for other preparations).
Usually in proximity to a draw or creek, look for the small tree from Flagstaff and Prescott, south to Sierra Vista and Bisbee.
A passage from Wild Edible Plants of Texas (Vol 1):
Black cherry fruit is edible fresh picked from the tree or prepared as a jam/jelly. When ripe they are sweet
and have a very pleasant wild cherry (hint of bitter) flavor.
A passage from Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States:
The plant’s particular cyanogenic glycoside content, a compound group common to many plants within the Rose family, is at least partly responsible for its sedative activity on the pneumal and cardiovascular systems. Even for straight–forward heart palpitations dependent on debility, psychosomatic responses to stress, or overexertion, Wild cherry (Black cherry) is calming.
Author, Researcher, Clinician. Latest titles: Wild Edible Plants of Oklahoma, 2nd ed., Wild Edible Plants of Arizona, 2nd ed., and Wild Edible Plants of Arkansas, 2nd. ed.
