Saskatoon (a serviceberry)
General poisoning notes:
Saskatoon, a serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), is a shrub native to western Canada. The shrub has an hydrogen cyanide (HCN) potential high enough to kill cattle and mule deer. Mule deer that ingested 1 kg of fresh weight per day were poisoned and died within 24 h of the appearance of clinical signs. Experiments with cattle also showed the poisoning potential (Majak et al. 1978, Majak et al. 1980).
Description
It is a deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow to 1–8 m (3–26 ft) (rarely to 10 m, 33 ft) in height. Its growth form spans from suckering and forming colonies to clumped.
The leaves are oval to nearly circular, 2–5 cm (0.79–2.0 in) long and 1–4.5 cm (0.4–1.8 in) broad, on a 0.5–2 cm (0.2–0.8 in) leaf stem, margins toothed mostly above the middle.
The flowers are white, about 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in) across; they appear on racemes of 3–20 together in spring while the new leaves are still expanding.
The fruit is a small purple pome 5–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) in diameter, ripening in early summer in the coastal areas and late summer further inland.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.
Vernacular name(s): Saskatoon (a serviceberry)
Scientific family name: Rosaceae
Vernacular family name: rose
Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.
Geographic Information
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory
Notes on Poisonous plant parts:
Saskatoon contains a large quantity of prunasin, which has a hydrogen cyanide (HCN) potential exceeding the level required to cause of poisoning in cattle. HCN occurs in the twigs before the leaves appear and during the bloom period. The level of HCN potential is highest in new-growth twigs, especially during dry years (Majak et al. 1981).
Toxic parts:
Flower buds, leaves, seeds, twigs, young shoots.
Toxic plant chemicals:
Prunasin
Prunasin
Chemical diagram(s) are courtesy of Ruth McDiarmid, Biochemistry Technician, Kamloops Range Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamploops, British Columbia, Canada.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Cattle
General symptoms of poisoning:
breathing, labored
death
diarrhea
heart rate, elevated
recumbency, lateral
restlessness
shivering
weight loss
Notes on poisoning:
Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) poisoning was experimentally induced in cattle. The experiment showed that a single dose of the browse with 1.43% prunasin can be lethal to cattle. Peak cyanide levels occurred in the blood 1-2 h after ingestion. The rumen had a distinct almond smell (Majak et al. 1980).
