Friday, September 4, 2009

Fabulous Fruit Fridays!!! ~ B.C's Native Plants The Oregon Grape

Ahhhhh another Fabulous Friday has come upon us...Wow time just flies doesn't it. I know I can't keep up. Today is about our Native plants here in B.C. This plant is called Oregon Grape and these berries are very edible and were a main source of food for our Native Indians that lined our coastal waters and interiors of BC. These wonderful berries were dried and eaten throughout the winter months and where a valuable part of the Native Indian diet. If you ever get a chance to come to Victoria B.C we have a wonderful Museum. They feature a very large section about our Native Indians and how they lived a long time ago. Not only featuring the foods they ate but the wonderful talent they have at carving. They could create a canoe out of one large cedar tree...I believe it's referred to as a long boat. Don't quote me though. These berries also make wonderful jams, jellies and are extremely tasty. As you can tell from the bottom pictures other animals find them tasty too. LOL Happy Friday everyone









9 comments:

  1. Hi Crista. When I searched Oregon Grape it said 'Mahonia aquifolium' with yellow flowers & leaves similar to holly. Is that correct?
    I see the Sheild Bugs like it as well! FAB

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  2. Hi Crista,
    beautiful, it makes me think about our blue berries!

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  3. Carol ~ Thank you they are a beautiful blue!!

    Frank you are correct good research. Unfortunately there isn't allot of information on the intranet about this plant only about the flowers and the leaves...if you look at the first picture and focus on the leaves they will look like the ones you found online. I know right away which picture you found. It's too bad there isn't allot of information about this plant...it's such an important plant here in B.C Canada..with as well I might add a strong history

    Thank Chris...they taste though different than a blueberry and they are higher in Vitamin C thus the importance in the Native Indian's diets throughout the winter months :)

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  4. Hi Crista,

    Wish every day was a Friday... ;-)

    The Berries look mouth watering. And do I love Jam..

    Lovely photos esp the one with the Sheild Bug.

    John

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  5. Stunningly blue berries and I hope they taste as good as they look :) Great to have caught the Shield Bug on them - obviously a berry connoisseur!

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  6. Sergey ~ Thank you :)

    John ~ Don't you know it...I absolutely with it was Friday everyday :)

    Tricia ~ They are sweet and tasty and the bugs are the first ones at them go figure!!

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  7. These look yummy! I have been to Victoria once and think we went to the museum you are talking about. I was fascinated with the northwest Native American art. I bought a lot of cards and things which showed the way they depict different animals in their art. Wonderful stuff. Have always wanted to go back to Victoria again, but we never seem to have the time when we are in Seattle.

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