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Salal is found growing wild in coastal areas of western North America and the berries are an important food source for First Nations in British Columbia. Today, salal is also a beautiful ornamental plant that you can find in gardens around the world.
Salal berries have a powerful antioxidant effect, which makes them popular not only as a sweet treat, but also as a tasty superfood. If you want to make herbal remedies at home, this is a great herb to use.
It’s a versatile marvel. You can harvest the berries for cooking and use the rest of the plant to make a tea or ointment, while adding a decorative element to your garden.
So how do you grow this beautiful shrub at home?
Contents
A bit about Salal
There is no shortage of unique plants and shrubs when you walk in nature, so how to spot the salal (wintergreen shallon)?
These shrubs can grow up to four feet tall and five feet wide. Salal belongs to the Ericaceae family and can be grown in USDA plant hardiness zones 6-8.
This perennial shrub has waxy, leathery, egg-shaped, dark green leaves. In the spring, you will see tiny pink and white flowers on this plant.
Shortly after the flowering season, black and purple berries begin to appear. It is not uncommon to see hikers and wildlife such as deer munching on these berries as they taste sweet and delicious.
Of course, you don’t have to go hunting in the wild for salal to be part of your life. You can buy plants and seeds from specialty nurseries across the country. Not only do they make a lovely addition to the garden, but they also grow delicious berries.
Once harvested, salal berries are used to make jams, spreads, and other sweet treats. But, they can also feed local wildlife and serve as ornamental pieces on your property.
Herbalist Michael Moore notes that salal leaves were used in Native American folk medicine to heal wounds and sores. The antioxidant properties of the leaves are excellent for making soothing tea or ointment for cuts.
However, salal can be invasive in some areas, so care should be taken when planting it. In fact, there is even a program dedicated to determining the impact of salal on tree growth, called the Salal Cedar Hemlock Integrated Research Program.
Just be sure to grow it in the right place and keep it under control, if necessary.
Growing Salal Shrubs at Home
Salal shrubs are easy to grow and don’t require too much extra work once established. However, like all plants, they need certain conditions to thrive and be healthy.
Salal shrubs need well-drained, slightly acidic soil. The location should be partially shaded, with a soil pH between 5.5 and 7.0 for optimum growth.
Although it is possible to grow salal in full sun and poor soil, the shrub will only reach 1-2 feet tall and the berries will be few. Find the right location before you consider growing this salal.
This plant grows via rhizomes. In some areas, this shrub will quickly overrun the garden if you are not careful. It is even considered invasive in the UK.
Salal plantation
When planting salal shrubs, you need to think carefully about their location. They don’t like to be transplanted, so you should make sure the location has everything it needs to thrive before placing the seeds in the ground.
Some good places to plant salal seeds are near the edges of woods or streams. However, if there is partial shade, anywhere will be fine.
You should always clean the surrounding area of weeds when planting a new shrub to prevent pests and diseases from attacking your new plant. You should also remove all sticks, stones and other debris around the planting site.
If the soil needs to be more acidic, add sulfur to change the pH. Work in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure if your soil is sandy, heavy, or poorly drained.
plant seeds
Soak the seeds for 24 hours in water before planting them in the ground. Plant the salal seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in the ground. You can start them in pots or directly in the ground.
Once the seeds are planted, soak the soil with water. You want it moist but not soggy. Keep the soil moist as the plants grow.
If you started the seeds in pots, place them in the ground as soon as they have sprouted three or four leaves. You don’t want to leave them in the pot for too long as they don’t transplant well.
Planting seedlings
You can buy seedlings or divide a plant from a friend or neighbor. Before planting purchased seedlings in the ground, check whether the roots have become tied. If so, loosen the roots gently before placing the plant in the ground.
Remember to space seedlings 3 to 4 feet apart if you plan to grow multiple shrubs.
Keep the plants well watered as they become established.
Caring For Your Salal Plant
You only need to water this plant if the rainfall is less than 2.5 cm per week. Since most of us live in areas that at least occasionally experience less than this amount, you will need to supply water. You can use a rain gauge or moisture meter to determine when it’s time.
Pruning can be done every other year in early spring if you want to maintain some height. Feel free to divide the plants every few years to limit their spread and keep an eye out for runners.
You can propagate this plant by cuttings, seeds, or division if you want to expand your salal collection in your garden.
The best mulch for salal shrubs is pine needles or wood chips. You should cover the soil with three inches of your favorite mulch to help suppress weeds and retain moisture.
Salal pests and diseases
Besides watering and pruning, you also need to be extra vigilant for pests and diseases of this plant. Salal is like any other plant; it may encounter problems.
Sudden oak death
Sudden oak death (caused by the fungus Phytophthora ramorum) is as deadly as it sounds. Despite its name, this fungal disease is found on salal shrubs as well as oak trees.
You can spot this disease by the leaf spots and discoloration it creates. If you notice these signs, you need to take the right steps to cure your plant before it’s too late.
To deal with this disease, remove the infected parts. You can apply a systemic fungicide to slow the progression, but there is no cure.
Vine weevils
Vine weevils like to gnaw on shrubs like salal, so you need to know what to look out for when these pests attack. You could have weevils if you see black and yellow winged beetle-like insects on your shrub.
It’s not the beetles that do the damage, however. It’s the larvae.
Most of the time, weevils are found at the base of the plant, so it’s essential to check when you water or assess your plants for infection. If you spot them early, you can remove them by hand.
Or, you can apply a biological control like beneficial nematodes to control this pest. This type of biological control is entirely safe for ornamental and edible plants such as salal.
Harvest your Sweet Salal Berries
By summer’s end, your berries should be ready to harvest. At this point they will be ripe and fully ripe, so all you need to do is pick them from the shrub. Simply cut the stem with garden shears or use your fingers to harvest the berries.
You should be careful not to wear anything white, as the berry juice will likely stain you when you cut the berries from the plant.
Like other berries, you can toss salal berries into your morning smoothie or toss them into a pie for a delicious fall treat. Here is an excellent recipe for salal berry jam to inspire you in the kitchen:
- 10 cups of salal berries
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- Pinch of lemon zest
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons of rosemary
Gently simmer the berries, water and lemon juice in a saucepan. Stir frequently to avoid burns. The berries should break down within 15-20 minutes and start to look like mashed potatoes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until it reaches the consistency you prefer.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes and prepare the jars. If you’re new to canning, check out our guide. Make sure the jars are sealed and place them in a cool place overnight.
The next day you can enjoy your fresh jam for breakfast!
This unique jam has many health benefits, including blood sugar regulation, as well as a fantastic taste, so you’ll be ready for the day of gardening.
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