Harvest buffaloberry when the berries are fully red or orange-yellow. Spread a sheet under the shrub and shake the branches — the thorns make picking one by one slow.
Shake fully colored berries onto a sheet
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Wait until the berries are fully red or orange-yellow | Do not pick pale fruit |
| Gear | Heavy gloves, long sleeves, eye protection, and a sheet or shallow pan | Do not reach into the thorns in shorts |
| Method | Spread a sheet under the shrub and shake the branches | Do not strip every stem by hand if the thorns slow you down |
| Handle | Move the fruit out of the sun the same day | Do not leave a warm pile of berries on a bench |
Female buffaloberry holds small, juicy berries that cling among the thorns. Wait until they are fully colored, then spread a sheet or a flat pan on the ground and shake the branches so the fruit drops clean. [1] [2] Wear heavy gloves and long sleeves. The spines are sharp, and a sheet saves your hands. [3]
- Wait until the berries are fully red or orange-yellow on the female plants.
- Put on heavy gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection.
- Spread a clean sheet or a shallow pan under the shrub.
- Shake the fruiting branches so ripe berries drop. Leave fruit that is still pale.
- Carry the fruit indoors the same day, and pick out twigs and leaves.
Sun and first-season water are on How to Grow Buffaloberry. A labeled male among the females is on Planting Buffaloberry.
When are buffaloberries ripe?
When they are fully red or orange-yellow. Pale fruit is still astringent and not ready.
Wait for a light frost if you will eat them fresh
The berries are tart and astringent on the bush. A light frost takes some of the bite, so wait for that night if you will eat them out of hand. Fruit can hang after frost, so you are not forced to pick on one warm afternoon. [4] If you will cook them, pick slightly underripe fruit: pectin is higher then. That is a timing choice, not a jelly method.
- For fresh eating, wait until after a light frost, then shake as above.
- For cooking, pick fully colored fruit a little early, while it is still firm.
- Eat a small amount the first time. A large raw bowl can irritate the stomach.
Do I have to wait for frost?
Only if you will eat them fresh. Fully colored fruit is ready to shake either way; frost makes the fresh flavor milder.
If the berries are still pale, wait. Shake fully colored fruit onto a sheet, and wait for a light frost if you will eat them fresh.
FAQ
Can I eat a lot of raw buffaloberries?
Keep the first tasting small. The fruit contains saponins that can irritate the stomach in a large raw bowl.
Should I pick them one by one?
You can, but the thorns slow you down. A sheet under the shrub and a firm shake is the usual pick.
Can I make jelly at home?
People cook the fruit into jelly, but that method lives in a recipe, not on this pick. Shake fully colored berries, then cook from a recipe you trust.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] USDA NRCS Plant Guide -
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_shar.pdf - [2] Manitoba Agriculture -
https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-management/fruit-crops/silver-buffaloberry-production.html - [3] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center -
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SHAR - [4] Oregon State University -
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/shepherdia-argentea
This note is part of Shepherdia Guides.
More harvest timing notes by plant live in Harvesting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors