Alan Davidson

Buffaloberry

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

buffaloberry the fruit of the thorny N. American shrub Shepherdia argentea, which grows in the dry north-western Great Plains region. The small scarlet berries were a staple food of the region; they become sweet and ready for eating, raw or cooked, after frost. They are also known as silver buffaloberry, rabbit-berry, and Nebraska currant.

These berries are considered to be a fine accompaniment for buffalo steaks or tongue, an affinity which accounts for their common name. They are also used to make drinks and jellies.