Gaultheria shallon (Salal)
Found January 20th 1806 By Captain Lewis
Salal
Other interesting information: Salal has been used and loved by pacific northwesterners for a long time now(200+ years). Native americans have had multiple uses for it. The berries for one are delicious and can be eaten raw or dried. Leaves of the plant were chewed as a sort of appetite depressant by natives. The leaves and branches were often used for cooking meats in order to hold it together. Many people today still collect the berries to make jams and preserves.
Because salal grows quickly and its roots are deep, after forest fires it is usually one of the first things to grow back. However, because of its adaptiveness, in certain areas it has almost become sort of an invasive type plant cover other natives. This can happen in fertile soils with high acid levels.
Works Cited:
Hansen, Wallace. "Gaultheria Shallon (Salal)." NW Plants. Hansens Northwest Native Plant Database, 2012. Web. 3 June 2015.
Brun, Charles. "Salal." PNW Plants WSU. WSU, 2015. Web. 3 June 2015. .
Kamp, Mimi. Plant Illustrations. Digital image. Southwest School of Botanical Medicine. 3 June 2015. Web.
Author, No. Picture of Salal and Flowers. Digital image. KXRO News Radio. 3 June 2015. Web.