The name “Cherry Creek” pops up all over the Denver metro area. But there were never any cherry orchards in the area. The 48-mile tributary of the South Platte River is named for the abundant chokecherries on its banks.
The shrubs or small trees bloom with dense clusters of fragrant white flowers that become a red fruit — the chokecherry, aka the bitterberry. But come August and September those little berries turn deep purple, and become sweet, an important food for wildlife from birds to bears, and for humans. Native Americans used it medicinally, and some tribes mixed the berries with bear fat to paint pictographs. Today, you can enjoy chokecherry jelly. Pick 26 cups of chokecherries, add sugar and boil down for 9 cups of jelly. But stay away from chokecherry leaves. They’re poisonous.
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.
