Salal berry

What it is

Salal berries are rounded and about 1 cm (0.4 in) across. A fine coat of hairs covers the dull blue-black skin, and the underside bears a five-pointed star. They grow beneath glossy evergreen leaves, following small white or pink flowers shaped like little urns.

The flavour runs from rich to bland, depending on the soil and sunlight a patch gets. The flesh is mealier than many other wild berries.

Where it comes from

Salal grows naturally from Alaska to California, often beneath forest trees. It is especially common on the west coast of Vancouver Island, where it is one of the most common late-summer berries. A separate journey took it into British gardens: David Douglas brought seed to Britain in 1828 as an ornamental shrub.

How it's eaten where it grows

Coast Salish families traditionally mash the berries into cakes, drying them near a fire on cedar boards, skunk cabbage leaves or in wooden frames. The cakes keep in boxes for winter. They can be softened again in water; older preparations also pair them with seal, whale or eulachon oil.

Salal still goes into jam, fruit leather and desserts in Native families. One fruit-leather preparation blends it with strawberry, huckleberry or other berries, adding honey and a little lemon juice before drying the mixture into a flexible sheet.

How it's grown

Salal spreads into dense thickets in acidic soil, in sun or partial shade. On poor sunny ground it may stay below 0.6 m (2 ft); in shade with good soil it can reach 1.2–3 m (4–10 ft). Plants also take root on decaying logs. More sunlight generally brings more berries.

When and where you'll find it

In the Coast Salish region, berries usually ripen from late July through September. The soft fruit needs gentle picking. Frozen berries, jam and fruit leather extend its use beyond the fresh season. For a prepared version, Vancouver Island wild-food producer Forest for Dinner makes salal jelly from locally gathered berries.