Bitter Berry is a native perennial, woody, deciduous and thicket forming large erect shrub or small tree. It reaches to the height of over 30 feet. The tree has irregular crown which measures 10 to 20 feet wide when mature. Stems are slender and numerous. The outside bark is blackish and rugged. The young branches are smooth, red or purplish; flowers appear after the leaves in May and June, followed by the delicious Cherry in August. Individual flowers are 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter with 5 white petals. Leaves are glossy and dark green, alternate, glabrous, simple, oval to broadly elliptic about 1 to 4 inches long and 3/4 to 2 inches wide. Margins are toothed with sharp teeth pointing outward forming a serrated edge. The bark has a distinct aromatic odour, resembling bitter almond when macerated in water; the taste is astringent and agreeably bitter. The young, thin bark is the best; very large or small branches should be rejected. Stem bark is collected in the autumn and carefully dried; slouching dead tissue, if present, should be removed. Fruits are globose and 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter.

Facts About Bitter Berry

Leaf

Leaves are alternate, simple, oblong to nearly oval and 2 to 4 inches long. It has finely serrated margin, dark green above and paler below, minute glands on petiole.

Flower

Flower is white, in a loose 3 to 6 inches long terminal raceme, appearing after leaves.

Fruit

Flowers are then dark red to purple drupe and 1/3 diameter and matures in late summer.

Twig

Twigs are slender, black cherry and light brown to gray.  

Bark

Bark is smooth, gray-brown, conspicuous lenticels that develop into shallow fissures; young stems have shallowly peeling, curling layers.

Medicinal uses

• Bark and roots act as blood tonic, pectoral, astringent, tonic, sedative and appetite stimulant.
• Root bark infusion is used to treat coughs, fevers and colds.
• Use the root bark as a wash for old sores, burns and ulcers.
• Use the inner bark for treating wounds.
• Dried and powdered fruits are used for stimulating appetite, bloody discharges of bowels and treat diarrhea.
• Unriped fruit is used for treating diarrhea.

Culinary uses

• Fruits are used to make jams and jellies, syrups, pie filings and wines.
• Fruits can be sundried.
• Bark is used to brew tea.
• Fruits are used to flavor soups and stews or as a thickening agent.
• It is used for making cakes and pies.

Side Effects

• It can cause mild headache and ulcers.
• Excessive intake causes constipation and other abdominal problems.
• It also increases toxicity in stomach.

Dose

15 drops in water. Cherry bark will dissolve stones but should be combined with other herbs and administered carefully and over a period of several months, as when taken too fast will expel the stones abruptly without being softened.

Homoeopathic Clinical

Cold infusion or tincture of inner bark; solution of concentrated resinous extract, Prunin—Acidity, Anorexia, Dyspepsia, Heart (weakness of, hypertrophy of. irritable), Pyrosis.

References:

https://web.uri.edu/rhodeislandwoods/files/Prunus-virginiana.pdf

https://practicalplants.org/wiki/Prunus_virginiana

http://foodsportal.com/chokecherry/

https://www.onlyfoods.net/chokecherry.html

 

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