Tag: Prunus pumila

Native Americans, including the Lakota and Pawnee, have historically used sand cherries in various ways, from eating them fresh to drying them into cakes for preservation. Though often overlooked today, the versatile sand cherry remains a valuable and rewarding fruit for foragers and gardeners alike.

Despite being an under-appreciated wild fruit, the sand cherry (Prunus pumila) produces some of the largest and most flavorful berries among native North American cherries. Its complex taste is influenced heavily by ripeness and the specific variety, offering a surprising depth of flavor to those who know how to harvest and use it properly.