There’s a reason they call them chokecherries. The fruit tastes bitter, making you want to choke.
That said, the fruit was a staple for Native Americans, especially those who lived on the plains. They cooked the berries before eating them to heal tummy aches. And they made chokecherry tea to treat colds, diarrhea, TB, even anxiety.
Learn more about some of the wildflowers and shrubs in the Wood River Valley from Lisa Horton, a member of the Idaho Native Plant Society, in today’s Eye on Sun Valley video.