Chokecherry blossoms are on display now as you are driving up the Alpine to Arrowhead.

Most people refrain from eating any plant with the word "choke" in its name. Thus, the chokecherry is ignored by many who have access to its bountiful crop. That's a shame, for this delicious fruit deserves much more attention than it receives.

Chokecherries blooms in late spring when the leaves are just about fully grown. The flowers, about 1/3 inch across, are symmetrical with five petals. They grow in rather tight, arched or drooping racemes, each flower on a pedicel (stem) about a quarter of an inch long. The mature fruit is spherical or oblong, occasionally even with a pointed tip. They are dark purple to black when fully ripe. About one quarter to one third of an inch across, each drupe contains one proportionately large oval stone. The cherries are borne in drooping clusters three to six inches long, each containing about eight to twenty fruits.

Probably the most popular use of chokecherries is for jelly. To do this, first you must extract the juice. After cleaning out the leaves, twigs, and invertebrates, place your chokecherries in a large pot and pour in a little less water than it would take to cover the cherries. Simmer for a few hours until the cherries are soft and have released their juice, then take them out and strain through a jelly bag or a cheesecloth-lined colander. You will get around a quart of juice for each gallon of cherries that you start with. You can then drink this juice as is, can or freeze it for future use, or use it to make an excellent jelly or wine. Click here for more information.