Online Research of Wild Cherry Tree: t’ulum’ulhp [√t’ulum’=ulhp], Bitter Cherry or Chokecherry, written for LING 160/INLG 435 Language & Culture, with Donna Gerdts, 2023
t’ulum’ – cherry: wild cherry (Hul’q’umi’num’ to English Dictionary, 2013)
This is our online research about wild cherry trees. The Scientific name for wild cherry is Prunus avium. It is commonly called wild cherry, sweet cherry, gean, or bird cherry, and is a species of cherry, a flowering plant in the rose family, Rosaceae. The hul’q’umi’num’ word for wild cherry tree is t’ulum’ulhp [√t’ulum’=ulhp] cherry tree (wild cherry) (BC 24APR80).
Here is an article I found that names a couple of the trees we are researching:
“The name ‘wild cherry tree’ refers to a number of species in the genus Prunus. Some of the most common include the black cherry (Prunus serotina) and the chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), both of which are native to North America. There is also a species native to Europe called wild cherry (Prunus avium). All three of these common cherry species have similar characteristics, but there are factors that can help you tell them apart. Both the fruits and bark of the North American Species have an interesting history of usage in Native American culture.” (eattheplanet.org, accessed January 2023)
Where to find: Bitter cherry grows in open woods and along roadsides and moist edges of meadows from low to medium elevations throughout Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland. They are small and red when fully ripe. Although they are not poisonous, they taste bitter, and few people would eat them.
Cultural Knowledge: The cherries from this tree are small and usually bitter. However people did eat them as a thirst quencher, as explained by Luschiim in Luschiim’s plants: traditional Indigenous foods, materials, and medicines.
References:
Charlie, Luschiim Arvid; and Turner, Nancy J. (2021). Luschiim’s plants: traditional Indigenous foods, materials, and medicines. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Wikipedia. Prunus_virginiana. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_virginiana
Hul’q’umi’num’ to English Dictionary (2013)
Eat the planet. https://eattheplanet.org/wild-cherries-a-native-american-necessity/
