Shepherdia canadensis – Soapberry – Elaeagnaceae (The Autumn Olive Family)

Description Shepherdia canadensis is a North American native shrub commonly called soapberry since the crushed red berries, filled with saponins, can be whipped into a foam. The fruit is edible and has a long history of use by interior First Nations peoples. The flavour can be bitter but it can be improved with the addition of other berries or sugar. They can be whipped into a traditional dessert sometimes referred to as Indian or Indigenous ice cream. This tough, drought tolerant, super hardy shrub, also known as soopalollie and Canadian buffaloberry, can grow from three to 13 feet tall, depending on conditions, with small, egg-shaped foliage, green on the upper surface with fuzzy, silvery-white hairs and rusty brown scales on the undersides. The flowers are small, yellowish-brown, and clustered on small branches appearing before the leaves. Plants are dioecious with male and female flowers on separate plants. Fruits are small, translucent orange-red to bright red and soapy to the touch when crushed. Stems are covered with brown scales. In the wild, large mammals consume the foliage while rabbits, chipmunks and ground birds consume the berries. Great for poor soils due to its association with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Attractive in the rock, native, and xeriscape gardens. Attracts bees. Photo: Wikimedia.