https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/205316575
For this week's iNaturalist post, I decided to share with you all something that has made me extremely excited for the last few days--budding huckleberries! As a quick disclaimer, I am unsure if these are blueberries or huckleberries as it is difficult to tell this early on in their budding. However, given the location typically having an abundance of huckleberries, I feel fairly confident in this specimen's identification. I found this lovely budding shrub while walking around Ward Lake in the Ketchikan area. It immediately caught my eye as I was walking past; largely because of its bright reddish pink hue among the green rainforest. Spotting this shrub has made me very excited because it is one of the first noticeable signs of spring that I watch for around Southeast Alaska. That, and skunk cabbage blooms, of course. ;)
As far as historical uses of the species are concerned, I found a lovely article written by Vivian Faith Prescott for the Capital City Weekly titled "Planet Alaska: Red Huckleberries: Food for Songbirds" that shares the author's experiences with the species as well as some facts. Something in the article that particularly stuck out to me was the Tlingit saying that Prescott shared: "Tleikatánk kanat’á een yak’éi: Red huckleberries are good with blueberries." Another tidbit of information that was found in the article was how the Indigenous peoples across the Pacific Northwest region of America used red huckleberry leaves in a medicinal setting. Not only do these bits of information relate to the species, but they also connect to last week's learnings about connecting Indigenous knowledge with modern ways of living.
Works Cited
Prescott, Vivian Faith. “Planet Alaska: Red Huckleberries: Food for Songbirds.” Juneau Empire, 31 Oct. 2019, www.juneauempire.com/news/planet-alaska-red-huckleberries-food-for-songbirds/. Accessed 3 Apr. 2024.
Comentarios
Yes, it is difficult to tell this early in the season, what does help is having more than one photo to highlight the separate parts that help to distinguish between other plants. I find it very difficult for me without the actual fruit hanging there, but it's something we can improve on by looking and remembering.
I like blueberries a lot and could probably get a bush to start in my front yard, but I don’t need to add more to the raspberries that are already taking over everything. It is amazing just how fast a plant grows when it has no competition for resources other than grass. I have had huckleberries mixed with other things in fruit and berry pies and tarts, but I don’t know if I have ever had a huckleberry fresh from the plant. I have a rhubarb in my yard as well, but it’s surrounded by big flat rocks, so the raspberry does not overrun it. Although I think the rhubarbs' root system is doing more work than the rocks are considering that the raspberry has burrowed about ten feet under my house and grown stalks out from under the skirting on both sides.
That's awesome! Budding huckleberries are such a beautiful sign of spring. I love how vibrant they look against the greenery. It's fascinating how the Tlingit appreciate the combination of red huckleberries and blueberries. The medicinal use of huckleberry leaves by Indigenous peoples is a great reminder of the depth of traditional ecological knowledge. Thanks for sharing that article, it sounds like a great read! Can't wait to see more signs of spring popping up around Southeast Alaska. It's always exciting to see nature come back to life after the winter. The mix of colors and the fresh start it represents is something I really look forward to every year. Keep sharing these cool finds!
The article you mentioned sounds like a treasure trove of knowledge. It's amazing how much we can learn from the natural world and the cultures that have been intertwined with it for centuries. The saying about red huckleberries being good with blueberries is such a simple yet profound piece of wisdom. It's a reminder of the harmony in nature and how different elements complement each other. This kind of insight is invaluable, especially as we look for ways to live more sustainably and in tune with our environment. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for those budding huckleberries on my next hike!
Hi Riz and Daniel,
Thank you both for the kind responses and comments on my journal entry! I am so excited for spring and summer, mainly because of the sunshine that those seasons bring, but also because of the arrival of tourism and seasonal workers to Ketchikan. Something about having more people in town makes it feel so much more lively and less like a ghost town. I believe that you are both in Juneau, so I am sure that you may experience something similar during the fall and winter, but it feels like both of those seasons never end. I plan on trying to pick as many berries as possible this summer to freeze for pies and other treats.
Elizabeth
Nice choice for a species, Elizabeth, to help us all see that spring is actually coming -- even beneath all this cold and some snow! :) Also, you chose a great source for your research. Nicely done!
Agregar un comentario