Salal, Gaultheria shallo, also known as Shallon, is an evergreen leathery-leaved, fruit bearing shrub, native to western North America, growing as far north as Alaska, attaining a height of 1-2 meters. The Salal forms dense thickets and, in coastal areas could become deep and almost impenetrable.

Gaultheria shallo leaves are coarse, leathery, dark green, broadly oval and sharply pointed, 3-9 cm long, 1-6 cm wide and finely toothed. Young leaves are edible and occasionally used to flavor fish soup. They have also medicinal properties and have been used by local natives for generations.

Flowers are pendent and bell-shaped, white or pinkish. Each flower being produced on a hooded leaf like part, in elongate clusters at the end of the previous year’s growth, followed by clusters of dark purple berries in summer and fall.

Salal Fruit

The fruit of the Salal is sweet blue berries with a unique flavor. The berries were an important food resource for native people, who both consumed them fresh and dried them into patties. Salal berries were also used as a sweetener, and the Haida people used them to thicken salmon eggs.

More recently, Salal berries are used locally in jams, preserves and pies often combined with Oregon-grape. Salal wine recipes have also made the circles among hobby wine makers and the berries can be made into a blue-ribbon worth sauce, used to glaze over wild game birds or even turkey. The fruit is an effective appetite suppressant.

Salal Propagation Methods

Plant propagation is by spreading underground stems. Gaultheria shallo is very tolerant of both open sun and shady conditions. However, the plant favors a fairly moist, well-draining loamy acidic soil in part sun to part shade place. Gaultheria shallo is a member of the family Ericaceae the genus Gaultheria.

Salal, Gaultheria shallon

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