Western Serviceberry

Lewis was the first to collect a specimen of the western serviceberry for science. The berries were a favorite food of the entire expedition, and Lewis recorded that the Lemhi Shoshone also prized them. The plant’s sweet berries were eaten fresh, dried for winter use, and mixed with pemmican by Native peoples throughout the West.

Journal Excerpt

Lewis, April 15, 1806: "Serviceberry. A small bush, the narrows of the Columbia R. April 15, 1806. This shrub grows from 4 to 12 feet high, produces a berry which is much esteemed by the natives and is in fact a very pleasant fruit."