Shepherdia canadensis aka Canadian Buffalo Berry

Shepherdia canadensis belongs to the Elaeagnaceae family. This shrub sheds its leaves each year. People call it Canadian buffaloberry, soapberry, or foamberry. It grows across much of northern North America. Its range spans Alaska and Canada, reaching the Atlantic. It also grows south along the western mountains. There, its range reaches Arizona and New Mexico. Native stands grow in northeast Oregon.

Garden plants grow about 6–8 feet [1.8–2.5 metres] tall. They can grow just as wide as tall. Some reach 13 feet [3.9 metres]. The crown is round. Its branches may spread out or grow upright. Sources say it grows at a slow to moderate rate. Rough, rusty scales cover young shoots. The shiny bark is reddish-gray. It has many lenticels, or small pores, which later form cracks. Small buds grow on short stalks. Oval leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of stems. They have smooth edges and green or silvery upper sides. Pale scales and rusty-brown dots cover their lower sides. Fall leaf color adds little to the garden.

Small flowers bloom before the leaves, from April to early May. They are yellow-green to yellowish-brown and draw little notice. Each plant bears male or female flowers, not both. The shrub needs both sexes to make seed. Its small, oval fruits are fleshy achenes that look like drupes. They turn red or yellowish-red, but some turn yellow. Plants can bear heavy crops in mid to late summer. Sources say the fruit ripens from July to September. It can feel soapy and taste quite bitter.

This shrub likes full sun but grows in part shade. It accepts sand, loam, and clay that drain well. It grows in poor soil and can fix nitrogen. It tolerates salt and dry sites. Sources say it is hardy to USDA zone 2. PFAF lists zones 2–6. It can block wind, curb soil loss, and provide wildlife habitat. It suits sunny woodland edges and poor planting sites, too. Growers can raise it from seed or hardwood cuttings. Sources report problems with leaf diseases.

People eat the fruit raw, cooked, or dried. Reports describe the taste as tart to bitter. Indigenous peoples have whipped the berries with water into food foam. The fruit has small amounts of saponins. PFAF warns against eating large amounts. It also notes that cooking breaks down the saponins. Fruit extracts can take the place of soap. Past uses as medicine include bark washes and root preparations. These records show past use, not proof that these treatments work.