Talk:Prunus virginiana

Untitled
Prairie Indians are known to use choke cherries as a staple of foods - they are dried and mixed with dried meat. Foods such as these can be easily stored and eaten throughout winter.

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Toxic to rumens?
I don't have any research handy, but when I was a child, chokecherries grew all over our property and deer would wander through by the dozens and eat them ravenously. 75.255.126.27 (talk) 02:59, 28 February 2013 (UTC)

Cultivar vs. Variety?
It's been a long time since I took botany in college, but I thought I'd mention that the US Dept of Ag classifies Melanocarpa as a third variety of chokecherry rather than simply an afterthought cultivar as in this article. (http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PRVI) Should the article be changed or is the USDA wrong? BRossow (talk) 14:42, 12 November 2008 (UTC)


 * It might be both, though the misnaming adds confusion. There could be a true variety of the species and a cultivated selection out of it under the same name. In any case, all the accepted varieties should be listed. Melanocarpa is not a valid variety name but could be a cultivar spelling - note the cap of the "M". Hardyplants (talk) 05:20, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Etymology
The "Etymology" section of this article contains no actual etymology. I assume the name comes from the fact that the fruit is astringent, bitter and/or sour and thus difficult to swallow, but I don't actually know, and reading the relevant section was unenlightening. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.66.173.210 (talk) 03:41, 30 June 2015 (UTC) — Berean Hunter   (talk)  12:55, 30 June 2015 (UTC)
 * Prunus is a genus for all cherries, peaches and plums. The name has nothing to do with being astringent. I eat wild Prunus serotina when they are ripe. Try reading Prunus for more details. The etymology section here addresses the common confusion people have concerning chokeberries and chokecherries. Many people also confuse Serviceberries with the other two as well but no mention of that has been made in the article.

Sacagawea
I have two problems with the mention of Sacagawea in this article.

First, it seems strange to say she was "discovered" by Lewis and Clark. She was a human being, not a mountain peak or the source of a river. Better to say that Lewis and Clark met her.

Second, I can't find any reference to Sacagawea eating choke cherries in the journals, which can be searched and read here: https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/. Lewis and Clark met her husband Charbonneau on Nov. 4, 1804; on two occasions (Nov. 11 and Nov. 20) they met a person or persons described as Charbonneau's wife, but that might not have been Sacagawea, since Charbonneau had two or three wives. They probably met her on Christmas Day, but she is not named specifically. The first certain meeting with Sacagawea was Feb. 11, 1805 when she gave birth to her son. None of these entries mention choke cherries, though the plant and its fruit are mentioned elsewhere in the journals. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.161.67.209 (talk) 16:43, 30 March 2020 (UTC)