Salal

From NarratingLandscapes

Salal
Some salal growing.
Botanical Name:	Gaultheria shallon
Family:	Ericaceae (Heather family)

Salal is an evergreen shrub found in the Coastal Western Hemlock Zone, growing to between .5 and 2 meters tall. The dark green leaves are leathery and oval-shaped with pointed tips. The bark is gray or reddish. White or light pink bell-shaped flowers grow in long one-sided clusters. The berries are dark blue to black, fuzzy, and very seedy, but sweet to taste.

Salal grows in humid coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest, and is especially abundant in forests that have been recently logged. Salal commonly grows in the forest understory, in both shady and sunny areas, often on stumps and rotten logs. Salal is an important plant to First Nations of British Columbia, mainly as a source of food. Berries are best harvested in the late summer. This plant has become part of the floral greens industry, and is harvested as a non-timber forest product in parts of the Pacific Northwest. Salal grows in many places around the University of British Columbia campus, in Pacific Spirit Park. On a walk down to Wreck Beach you are bound to see salal.

Bibliography

Turner, Nancy. 1995. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples. Royal British Columbia Museum Handbook. Vancouver: UBC Press.

Relationships involving this entry

• Agricultural
  • First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.
  • Salal grows all around Vancouver
• Economic
  • Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes
• Political
  • Immigrant harvest of salal in Washington state.
• Spiritual
  • Walking to Wreck Beach

Other entries related to this one through a relationship

• Meaning
  • Access issues (through Immigrant harvest of salal in Washington state.)
  • Dried (through First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.)
  • Fresh (through First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.)
  • Non-timber forest product (through Immigrant harvest of salal in Washington state.)
• People
  • Coast Salish (through First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.)
  • Kwakwaka’wakw (through First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.)
  • Tsimshian (through First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.)
  • UBC Dye Kit Journal (through Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes)
  • DylanGordon (through Walking to Wreck Beach)
• Place
  • Latin America (through Immigrant harvest of salal in Washington state.)
  • Southeast Asia (through Immigrant harvest of salal in Washington state.)
  • University of British Columbia (through Walking to Wreck Beach)
  • Vancouver (through Salal grows all around Vancouver)
  • Vancouver (through Walking to Wreck Beach)
  • Washington State (through Immigrant harvest of salal in Washington state.)
  • Wreck Beach (through Walking to Wreck Beach)
• Plant
  • Alder (through Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes)
  • Alder (through First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.)
  • Berries (through First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.)
  • Horsetail (through Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes)
  • Labrador Tea (through Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes)
  • Oregon-grape (through Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes)
  • Stinging Nettle (through Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes)
  • Tansy (through Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes)
• Time
  • Winter (through First Nations of B.C. use salal as a food.)
• Use
  • Floral arrangements (through Immigrant harvest of salal in Washington state.)
  • The Dyeing Process: Some tips on dyeing with different materials (through Plant Materials that can be used for Dyes)