**Botanical Information**:
– Scientific name: Amelanchier alnifolia
– Varieties: alnifolia, pumila, semiintegrifolia
– Common name: Saskatoon
– Related species: Amelanchier alnifolia var. pumila
– Taxonomy source: The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California
**Distribution and Habitat**:
– Native to: Northwestern United States and Western Canada
– Found from Alaska to western Canada and north-central US
– Grows in various soil types, from sea level to 3,400m elevation
– Common in forest understory, canyons, Oregon, and Washington forests
– Thrives in temperate climates
**Cultivation and Agriculture**:
– Planting spacing: 4.0–6.1m between rows
– Individual bush lifespan: over 30 years
– Adaptable to most soil types except poorly drained ones
– Suitable for commercial berry production, used in orchards
– Crop potential in the prairies of Canada, sold in stores and used in products
**Uses and Benefits**:
– Indigenous peoples eat saskatoon berries fresh or dried
– Used in pemmican, pies, jams, wines, ciders, and beers
– High in antioxidants and nutrients
– Attracts butterflies and beneficial insects
– Featured in field guides, encyclopedias, and named after a Canadian baseball team
**Ecology and Cultural Significance**:
– Susceptible to diseases and pests, larval host to butterflies
– Eaten by wildlife like birds, squirrels, bears, deer, elk, and rabbits
– Saskatoon, Saskatchewan named after the berry, with a baseball team named after it
– Cultural significance of saskatoon berries, integration into local culture
– Studies on ecology, government resources from agriculture ministries, and media coverage from CBC News and encyclopedias