About

Oemleria cerasiformis, a shrub commonly known as osoberry, squaw plum, Indian plum, or Indian peach, is the sole extant species in the genus Oemleria. The deciduous and perennial shrub can grow up to 7 meters tall, with spreading branches that produce small white flowers and bitter fruit that only become sweet when fully ripe. Osoberry is dioecious, only female plants producing fruit, while males produce a high reproductive biomass of pollen and flowers. The flowers are insect and hummingbird-pollinated and the fruits are consumed by both birds and mammals, which later disperse the seeds in their droppings (endozoochory).

Fossil records indicate that the species had a similar range during the Eocene epoch. It is native to the Pacific coast and coast ranges of North America, from British Columbia, Canada, to Santa Barbara County, California.

Where it grows

Osoberry are found in the Pacific Northwest, ranging from Northern California to Southwestern British Columbia. The shrubs grow in places such as second-growth forests, stream terraces, forest, or roadside margins. Osoberry grow in places with sunlight, and usually below elevations of 300 m (1,000 ft). The shrub can grow up to 1,500 m (5,000 ft) in elevation. Moist soil is preferred, but not grounds that are saturated in winter months.

Uses

The Pacific coast tribes utilized its fruit, twigs, and bark, as food sources and for teas and medicine. It is one of the first tree-borne fruits to ripen in summer and as such was prized by indigenous peoples and wildlife alike.