Salal berries are plentiful throughout the summer and can be found along the coastline.  The delicious berries can be foraged as a refreshing snack during a hike.  The plant is deeply rooted into the ground and can be used to help you up rugged terrain.  Besides being a hiking snack or an excellent addition to morning pancakes, I was curious about unearthing these plants’ other uses.

I learned that they were an essential staple for the Kwakwaka’wakw people. The Kwakwaka’wakw harvested the berries and dried them into flat cakes for the winter months. Berries could also be dipped into oolichan grease and enjoyed as a delicacy.  The Haida would use Salal berries to thicken salmon eggs and berry juice as a sweetener. 

The Ditidaht chew on the plant’s young leaves to suppress their appetites. Salal was also commonly mixed with other berries, such as elderberries and currents, and used for trading. 

Photo by Carlo von Reyher on Unsplash