Prunus serotina -Ehrh.-
wild cherry


Entry Type: Species

Species Name: Prunus serotina -Ehrh.-

Common Name: wild cherry

Myaamia Name: mahkwa wiiloomiši

Description:

Harvest Seasons: Undetermined

Harvest Comments:

Habitats: Undetermined

Uses: Medicinal

Locations: Undetermined

Sources

Costa, D. 2022

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

mahkwa wiiloomiši literally means "bear food tree"

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Description

Archival Data:

"Badgers willow is m'kwa wilominzhi  bears food (wilo) = bush; English wild cherry"

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Use - Technology

Archival Data:

"äshakani grist mill hollow tree or wood for pounding hominy.  The hole was burnt out by coals of fire, gradually going further down, ashwood, sassafras were used for its purpose, and wild cherry.  An Ottaway man on Spring River [NE OK] makes them now - he is called jábuk.  The handle to pound with has to be made of dogwood or ironwood." 

Comments: N/A

Rafert, S. 1992

Reference Type: Use - Medicinal

Archival Data:

The bark was used as a tonic and cough syrup.

Comments: N/A

Kinietz, W.V. 1965

Reference Type: Use - Medicinal

Archival Data:

The bark of the root chewed and held a long time on the gums to cure an infection. "Also, the bark of the root of the cherry tree chewed and held for a long time on the gums cures the falling sickness" ("Item l'ecorce de la racine de Cerisier maches et tenue longtems sur la Gencive guerit du mal de Terre").

Comments: The author is describing tribal customs from the upper Midwest, probably including some of the Miami-Illlinois tribal groups. – Michael Gonella

Anonymous 1724

Reference Type: Use - Medicinal

Archival Data:

The bark is crushed or chewed and used to treat wounds: "De l'ecois de merisier a grappe, machee ou pilee pour les playes". 

Comments: The author is describing tribal customs from the upper Midwest, probably including some of the Miami-Illlinois tribal groups. – Michael Gonella

Gonella, M.P 2003-2006

Reference Type: Use - Medicinal

Archival Data:

The fruit is eaten as a laxative.

Comments: N/A

Olds, J., Olds, D. and D. Tippman 1999

Reference Type: Use - Medicinal

Archival Data:

The inner bark from the west side of tree boiled and made into tea for cough syrup.

Comments: Info from an additional interview with Mildred Walker in 2004 also used. – Michael Gonella

Walker, M. 2004 , June 2

Reference Type: Use - Medicinal

Archival Data:

Tea is made by boiling "spicnert", horehound, comfrey, cherry bark and "alicompain".

Comments: N/A

Peoria, Eastern Shawnee, Wyandotte, Seneca-Cayuga, Miami and Ottawa Tribes 2003

Reference Type: Use - Medicinal

Archival Data:

Leaves are used by the Myaamia

Comments: N/A

Gleason, H.A. and Cronquist, A. 1991

Reference Type: Habitat

Archival Data :

Occurs in woods, roadsides, streams banks, and forest edges in eastern and western Myaamia lands.

Comments: N/A

Coulter, S. 1932

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

The dried stem bark collected in autumn is used in small doses (2 gm) acts as an astringent, tonic and sedative, and is used in cough syrups. Prussic acid is present in the bark, but normally in too small amounts to give the sedative effects.

Comments: N/A

Bush, L. L 1996

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Human-charred Prunus sp. material recovered from excavations at an early 19th century Myaamia village site.

Comments: N/A

Gleason, H.A. and Cronquist, A. 1991

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

It is unclear whether the Myaamia word mahkwa wiiloomiši indicates a native cherry or cultivated cherry or both. There are four edible native cherries: (1) P. serotina, wild black cherry, has 1cm thick black fruits and is abundant on roadsides throughout eastern Myaamia lands; (2) P. virginiana, choke-cherry, has 8-10cm thick black fruits and occurs in a variety of habitats; (3) P. pumila, sand-cherry, has 1-1.5cm thick black fruits; and (4) P. pensylvanica, pin-cherry, has 6mm thick red fruits.

There are five introduced cherries: (1) P. padus, European bird-cherry, which has 6-8mm thick black, inedible fruits, (2) P. mahaleb, Mahaleb-cherry, with 6mm thick dark red to black, bitter fruits; (3) P. avium, sweet-cherry, with 1.5-2.5cm thick fruit; (4) P. cerasus, sour cherry or pie-cherry, with 1.5-2cm thick tart, red fruit; and (5) P. fruticosa, ground-cherry, with 1cm thick, dark red fruits. All five introduced cherries occur in a variety of habitats in cultivation or as escapes within eastern and western Myaamia lands.

Comments: N/A

Gonella, M.P 2003-2006

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

The Myaamia terms neehpikicaahkwa and katoohwakimišaahkwi may refer to any of the other native cherry species in the Prunus genus including choke-cherry (Prunus virginiana), sand-cherry (Prunus pumila), and wild red cherry (Prunus pensylvanica), but Prunus serotina was the most common of these species described in the three main regional floras (Coulter 1899, Small 1903, and Steyermark 1963) which include distributional maps of Missouri counties and eastern Miami territories.

Comments: N/A

Kerr, J. 1835

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"mυgalomere, cherry tree" and "nυpekecυqυ, cherry tree"

Comments: N/A

Anonymous 1837

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Wild cherry is mentioned.

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. 1908

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

"neehpikicaahkwa" cherry tree

Comments: N/A

Steyermark, J.A. 1963

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

The wood is reddish-brown and resembles mahoghany, and is used for furniture, tool handles, and musical instruments. The bark is bitter and aromatic and is used for its astringent properties in cough medicines, expectorants and sore throats. The fruit is edible.

Comments: N/A

Clark, J.E 1993

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

The Shawnee collected this plant.

Comments: N/A

Legends

  • L.: L. stands for Carl Linneaus, a Swedish botanist and zoologist living from 1707 - 1778, who formed the binomial nomenclature system for scientific naming of species (the two part name). His initial after a scientific name indicates he was the authority for that species name.
  • sp.: Indicates the actual species name cannot or need not be specified. Example: Lilium sp. indicates a single species in the genus Lilium that is not known or does not need to be specified.
  • spp.: (plural) indicates "several species", two or more species of the given genus. Example: Lilium spp. indicates 2 or more species in the genus that cannot or do not need to be distinguished.
  • Use - Unknown: A record for this plant exists but does not include explicit information about the plant's cultural use. It is probable the Myaamia used the plant.
  • Botanical Sources: Sources of any botanical data for this plant species that is not related to its cultural use or significance.
  • Related Sources: Data indirectly related to Myaamia ethnobotany, including non-Myaamia uses of the plant in contemporary and historic times.
  • Myaamia Archival Sources: All records of plant use obtained directly from a Myaamia tribal member in an interview, recorded by a second party or by self-recording.
  • Undetermined (Plant Use): There exists use or other information about a certain, unknown plant species, but the specific species has not yet been determined.
  • Medicinal: For the purposes of this database, medicinal uses of plants and medicinal knowledge are defined as: Commonly held communal knowledge regarding the use of plant-based substances that aid in maintaining a healthy mind, body or spirit, including tonics and teas.
  • Technology: For the purposes of this database, technological uses of plants are defined as: Plants used in the making of food processing, canoes, rafts, dyes, tools, utensils, weapons, hunting and fishing gear (i.e. net, weir, etc.), cordage, string, rope, fodder plant species, firewood, any plants used in trade, etc.
  • Material: For the purposes of this database, material uses of plants are defined as: Plants used in construction of dwellings (floor mats, roofing, side walls), furniture, baskets, storage items, musical instruments, games, crafts, jewelry, cordage used in crafts, etc.
  • Food: For the purposes of this database, food uses of plants are defined as: Plants used as consumed food, spices and seasonings, but not teas or tonics.
  • Customs: For the purposes of this database, customary uses of plants are defined as: Plants involved in a customary ceremony, ritual or traditional event, including ritual smoking, chewing tobacco, war rituals, special mats used to sit on during ceremonies. Customary uses of plants, in this database, does not including plants used for recreation (material), structures where ceremonies take place (material) or medicinal smoking (medicinal).
  • Eastern Myaamia Lands: Eastern Myaamia lands (eastern myaamionki) are centered around northern Indiana, and including western Ohio, eastern Illinois, southern Michigan, and the northernmost portions of Kentucky.
  • Western Myaamia Lands: Western Myaamia lands (western myaamionki) include western Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma.