shallon
shallon Lexical Profile
shallon Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An evergreen shrub (Gaultheria shallon) of the heath family Ericaceae, native to western North America and cultivated for its leathery foliage and one-sided racemes of small, bell-shaped white to pinkish flowers.
"Dense thickets of shallon lined the shaded coastal woodland path, bearing clusters of delicate pinkish-white blossoms in late spring."
The sweet, dark purple to blue-black edible berry-like fruit produced by the shallon shrub, traditionally harvested as a food source in the Pacific Northwest.
"In late summer, the dark purple berries of the shallon were gathered to make preserves and dried fruit cakes."
• Rhymes for shallon
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 19th century from Lower Chinook klkwshalu, the Indigenous name recorded by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark for the salal plant along the Columbia River.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.