Bitter Berry is a native perennial, woody, deciduous, and thicket forming large erect shrub or small tree. It reaches a height of over 30 feet. The tree has an irregular crown that measures 10 to 20 feet wide when mature. Stems are slender and numerous. The outside bark is blackish and rugged. The young branches are smooth, red or purplish; flowers appear after the leaves in May and June, followed by the delicious Cherry in August. Individual flowers are 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter with 5 white petals. Leaves are glossy and dark green, alternate, glabrous, simple, oval to broadly elliptic about 1 to 4 inches long and 3/4 to 2 inches wide. Margins are toothed with sharp teeth pointing outward forming a serrated edge. The bark has a distinct aromatic odor, resembling bitter almond when macerated in water; the taste is astringent and agreeably bitter. The young, thin bark is the best; very large or small branches should be rejected. The stem bark is collected in the autumn and carefully dried; slouching dead tissue, if present, should be removed. Fruits are globose and 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter.
| Bitter Berry Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Bitter Berry |
| Scientific Name: | Prunus virginiana |
| Origin | Native to North America and is found in Canada, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Louisiana, Texas. |
| Colors | Dark red fruit |
| Shapes | Spherical drupes, globose, 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter |
| Taste | Bitter and astringent |
| Calories | 249 Kcal./cup |
| Major nutrients | Total dietary Fiber (81.05%) Carbohydrate (39.83%) Copper (31.83%) Manganese (27.92%) Vitamin K (27.08%) |
Bitter Berry Scientific Classification
Scientific Name: Prunus virginiana
| Rank | Scientific Name & (Common Name) |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae (Plants) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta (Vascular plants) |
| Superdivision | Spermatophyta (Seed plants) |
| Division | Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants) |
| Class | Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons) |
| Subclass | Rosidae |
| Order | Rosales |
| Family | Rosaceae (Rose family) |
| Genus | Prunus L. (Plum) |
| Species | Prunus virginiana L. (Chokecherry) |
Facts About Bitter Berry
| Name | Bitter Berry |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Prunus virginiana |
| Native | Native to North America and is found in Canada, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Louisiana, Texas. |
| Common/English Name | Wild Black Cherry Bark, Choke Cherry, Common chokecherry, Black chokecherry, Red chokecherry, Virginia chokecherry, California chokecherry, Eastern chokecherry, Western chokecherry, Rum chokecherry, Wild blackcherry, Whiskey chokecherry, Wild cherry, Bird cherry Chokeberry, Jamcherry, Cabinet cherry, Chuckleyplum, Bitter-berry, Sloe tree, Caupulin |
| Plant Growth Habit | Suckering hardy tree or large shrub |
| Plant Size | 1 to 6 m tall |
| Bark | Blackish and rugged |
| Branches | Smooth, red or purplish |
| Leaf | Elliptic to ovate, and 3 to 10 cm long |
| Medicinal part | The young thin bark |
| Flowering Season | Summer |
| Flower | Creamy-white |
| Fruit shape & size | Spherical drupes, globose, 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter |
| Fruit color | Dark red fruit |
| Flavor/aroma | Strong |
| Fruit Taste | Bitter and astringent |
Leaf
Leaves are alternate, simple, oblong to nearly oval and 2 to 4 inches long. It has finely serrated margin, dark green above and paler below, minute glands on petiole.
Flower
Flower is white, in a loose 3 to 6 inches long terminal raceme, appearing after leaves.
Fruit
Flowers are then dark red to purple drupe and 1/3 diameter and mature in late summer.
Twig
Twigs are slender, black cherry, and light brown to gray.
Bark
The bark is smooth, gray-brown, conspicuous lenticels that develop into shallow fissures; young stems have shallowly peeling, curling layers.
Nutritional value of Bitter Berry
Calories 249 Kcal. Calories from Fat 23.4234 Kcal.
| Proximity | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 93.5088 g | N/D |
| Energy | 249 Kcal | N/D |
| Protein | 4.6816 g | 9.36% |
| Total Fat (lipid) | 2.6026 g | 7.44% |
| Ash | 1.4322 g | N/D |
| Carbohydrate | 51.7748 g | 39.83% |
| Total dietary Fiber | 30.8 g | 81.05% |
| Total Sugars | 14.4298 g | N/D |
| Sucrose | 0.1078 g | N/D |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 7.623 g | N/D |
| Fructose | 6.699 g | N/D |
| Minerals | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium, Ca | 92.4 mg | 9.24% |
| Iron, Fe | 1.0626 mg | 13.28% |
| Magnesium, Mg | 41.58 mg | 9.90% |
| Phosphorus, P | 103.18 mg | 14.74% |
| Potassium, K | 583.66 mg | 12.42% |
| Sodium, Na | 7.7 mg | 0.51% |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.5082 mg | 4.62% |
| Copper, Cu | 0.28644 mg | 31.83% |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.64218 mg | 27.92% |
| Vitamins | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Water-soluble Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) | 0.05236 mg | 4.36% |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.26642 mg | 20.49% |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 0.96712 mg | 6.04% |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) | 0.61292 mg | 12.26% |
| Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) | 0.30492 mg | 23.46% |
| Folic Acid | 3.08 mcg | N/D |
| Folate, food | 3.08 µg | N/D |
| Choline | 16.478 mg | 3.00% |
| Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) | 8.47 mg | 9.41% |
| Fat-soluble Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A, IU | 258.72 IU | N/D |
| Betaine | 0.616 mg | N/D |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.539 mg | 3.59% |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 32.494 µg | 27.08% |
*Above mentioned Percent Daily Values (%DVs) are based on 2,000 calorie diet intake. Daily values (DVs) may be different depending upon your daily calorie needs. Mentioned values are recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They are not rxharun.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average age of 19 to 50 years and weigh 194 lbs. Source: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/
Medicinal uses
- Bark and roots act as a blood tonic, pectoral, astringent, tonic, sedative, and appetite stimulant.
- Root bark infusion is used to treat coughs, fevers, and colds.
- Use the root bark as a wash for old sores, burns, and ulcers.
- Use the inner bark for treating wounds.
- Dried and powdered fruits are used for stimulating appetite, bloody discharges of bowels, and treating diarrhea.
- The unripe fruit is used for treating diarrhea.
Culinary uses
- Fruits are used to make jams and jellies, syrups, pie fillings, and wines.
- Fruits can be sundried.
- The bark is used to brew tea.
- Fruits are used to flavor soups and stews or as a thickening agent.
- It is used for making cakes and pies.
Side Effects
- It can cause mild headaches and ulcers.
- Excessive intake causes constipation and other abdominal problems.
- It also increases toxicity in the stomach.
Dose
15 drops in water. Cherry bark will dissolve stones but should be combined with other herbs and administered carefully and over a period of several months, as when taken too fast will expel the stones abruptly without being softened.
Homeopathic Clinical
Cold infusion or tincture of inner bark; solution of concentrated resinous extract, Prunin—Acidity, Anorexia, Dyspepsia, Heart (weakness of, hypertrophy of. irritable), Pyrosis.
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