Hul’q’umi’num’ Language & Culture Society presents

Plants in the Hul’q’umi’num’ World

"Prunus emarginata" by Walter Siegmund, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 2.5, CC BY-SA 2.0, and CC BY-SA 1.0
Hul'q'umi'num' name:
t’ulum’ulhp – bitter cherry tree
English Name:
Bitter Cherry
Alternative English Names:
Oregon cherry
Scientific Name:
Prunus emarginata

Click/tap on the button to jump to that section:

Language
Learn More
Photos

Description

Description, Habitat, Ecology, Distribution
Bitter cherry is a shrub to small tree, growing from 2-15 m (6.5-49 ft) tall. The deciduous leaves are finely toothed and rounded at the tips. The bark is smooth, reddish-brown or grey, and with prominent horizontal rows of raised pores. The white or pinkish flowers produce small red cherries. Bitter cherry grows in moist areas in forests and along streams from low to middle elevations.
Island Cultural Role
The inner bark of bitter cherry has been used as an internal medicine for various respiratory ailments and as an external medicine, as it is considered to be good in the treatment of infection. The flexible yet strong outer bark has been used as a wrapping to attach points to fishing spear or harpoon shafts.

Language

Hul'q'umi'num' Name
t’ulum’ulhp – bitter cherry tree
APA
t̓ələm̓əłp
Speaker
Delores Louie
Hul'q'umi'num' Name 2
t’ulum’ – bitter cherry bark
APA
t̓ələm̓
Speaker
Ruby Peter

Learn More

Photos

Search

Find plants using a variety of methods:

Featured Plant

qwum’tsal’s | Cranberry

qwum’tsal’s | Cranberry

This berry is described as red and cherry-sized (qwum’tsal’s). Some speakers say this is a large, round marsh blueberry (mal’sum’).This is a straggling to erect shrub growing up to 3.5 m (11.5 ft) tall. The white flowers produce clusters of red or orange fruits that superficially resemble cranberries in appearance and tartness, hence the common name, highbush cranberry. This species grows in moist forests and forest edges, thickets, rocky slopes, and other moist habitats from low to middle elevations throughout the coast. (Highbush Cranberry)