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Wyoming is famous for its wide-open spaces, its rugged mountains, and its refusal to be anything other than exactly what it is. So maybe it shouldn't surprise anyone that the Cowboy State has never officially designated a state fruit. While most states have long since locked in their botanical symbols, Wyoming apparently had better things to do. Like ranching. And being enormous.

But if Wyoming ever gets around to making it official, there's really only one candidate that makes sense: the chokecherry. This wild, deeply flavorful berry has been growing across Wyoming's landscapes for thousands of years, and it's as tough, self-reliant, and distinctly Western as the state itself.

Wyoming's Unofficial Fruit: The Chokecherry

The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is native to North America and has been part of Wyoming's natural landscape since long before the state existed. These small, dark berries grow wild across nearly every county in Wyoming, thriving in the foothills, along creek beds, in mountain valleys, and at the edges of forests from the Bighorn Mountains to the Wind River Range.

Native American tribes across Wyoming, including the Shoshone, Arapaho, Crow, and Cheyenne, relied on chokecherries as a critical food source for centuries. The berries were dried and ground into pemmican, a high-energy mixture of dried meat, fat, and crushed chokecherries that sustained tribes through brutal Wyoming winters and long journeys across the plains. Chokecherries were also used in traditional medicines, teas, and ceremonial preparations.

When European settlers and fur trappers moved through Wyoming in the 1800s, they quickly learned from Native communities about the value of these wild berries. Mountain men and pioneers incorporated chokecherries into their diets, making jams, syrups, and wines that became staples of frontier life. The chokecherry wasn't just a food source in early Wyoming. It was survival.

Why Wyoming Has No Official State Fruit

Wyoming is one of a small handful of states that has never designated an official state fruit. The state has plenty of other symbols: the western meadowlark is the state bird, the Indian paintbrush is the state flower, and the cottonwood is the state tree. But when it comes to fruit, Wyoming's legislature has stayed quiet.

It's not that Wyoming lacks options. The chokecherry grows abundantly across the state, wild strawberries dot the mountain meadows, and various currants and serviceberries thrive in the high country. The most likely reason for the omission is simply that nobody has pushed the issue hard enough. Wyoming's legislature meets for only 40 days in odd-numbered years and 20 days in even-numbered years, making it one of the least frequently convened state legislatures in the country. With limited session time, state fruit designations tend to fall pretty low on the priority list.

That said, the chokecherry has emerged as the unofficial consensus pick among Wyoming residents and food writers. It's the berry most closely identified with the state's culinary traditions, its landscape, and its history. If Wyoming ever does make it official, the chokecherry is the overwhelming favorite.

What Makes the Chokecherry Special

If you've never eaten a fresh chokecherry straight off the bush, here's fair warning: the name isn't kidding. Chokecherries are intensely astringent when raw, with a mouth-puckering tartness that can literally make you choke if you're not expecting it. The skin is thick, the flesh is thin, and each berry wraps around a single large pit.

But here's where it gets interesting. When processed into jams, jellies, syrups, or wines, chokecherries transform into something extraordinary. The astringency mellows dramatically, revealing a deep, complex flavor that's unlike any domesticated cherry or berry. Think dark cherry meets wild grape meets something earthier and more primal. It's a flavor that tastes like the wilderness itself.

Nutritionally, chokecherries punch well above their weight. They're rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium, with significant levels of anthocyanins, the same dark pigment antioxidants found in blueberries and acai. Research has linked anthocyanins to anti-inflammatory benefits, cardiovascular health, and immune system support. A cup of fresh chokecherries contains roughly 50 calories with a solid dose of dietary fiber.

One important note: like many members of the Prunus family, chokecherry pits, leaves, and bark contain compounds that can release hydrogen cyanide. The berries themselves are perfectly safe to eat, and cooking or drying eliminates any trace concerns. But the pits should always be removed during processing, which is why chokecherries are almost always consumed in their prepared forms rather than eaten whole like regular cherries.

Where They Grow in Wyoming

Unlike most state fruits that are commercially farmed, chokecherries in Wyoming are almost entirely wild-harvested. They grow naturally across the state, from the sagebrush lowlands at 4,000 feet to the subalpine zones above 8,000 feet. You'll find them along riverbanks, in canyon bottoms, at the edges of pine and aspen forests, and scattered across the foothills of every major Wyoming mountain range.

The Bighorn Mountains, the Black Hills region near Sundance, the Wind River Range, and the areas around Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks all support abundant chokecherry populations. The berries also thrive in the more sheltered valleys of central Wyoming, where creek beds and irrigation ditches provide the moisture they prefer.

Chokecherry harvest season in Wyoming typically runs from mid-August through September, depending on elevation and the specific microclimate. Higher elevations ripen later, which means dedicated foragers can extend their harvest by working different altitudes over several weeks. The berries are ready when they've turned from red to a deep purple-black and come off the stem easily with a gentle tug.

Wyoming's harsh winters, dramatic temperature swings, and intense high-altitude sun actually work in the chokecherry's favor. These are tough, adaptable plants that produce some of their most flavorful fruit under stressful growing conditions. The berries that grow in Wyoming's demanding climate tend to have more concentrated flavors and higher antioxidant levels than those from milder regions.

Wyoming's Chokecherry Traditions

Chokecherries are deeply woven into Wyoming's cultural fabric. Every late summer and early fall, families across the state head out with buckets and bags for the annual chokecherry harvest. It's a tradition that's been passed down through generations, from the Native American communities who first cultivated the knowledge to the ranching and homesteading families who adopted it.

Several Wyoming communities celebrate the chokecherry harvest with local events and festivals. The town of Leiter in Sheridan County has hosted chokecherry picking events, and various communities in the Bighorn region organize harvest gatherings where participants pick berries and then process them communally into jams, jellies, and syrups.

Chokecherry jelly is arguably Wyoming's most iconic homemade food product. Drive through any farmers market or craft fair in the state between September and December, and you'll find jar after jar of the distinctive deep-red preserve. It's a standard gift item, a staple at ranch house breakfasts, and something that Wyoming transplants invariably start craving once they've moved away.

Wyoming's craft beverage scene has also embraced the chokecherry. Several local wineries and meaderies produce chokecherry wines that have gained regional followings. The berry's intense flavor and natural tannins make it surprisingly well-suited for winemaking, producing a deep, ruby-colored wine with a flavor profile that's wholly unique to the Northern Rockies.

Cooking and Baking with Chokecherries

Chokecherries require a bit more processing than your average fruit, but the effort is absolutely worth it. The standard approach is to simmer the berries with water, strain out the pits and skins, and use the resulting juice as the base for whatever you're making. From there, the possibilities are wide open:

• Chokecherry jelly: The classic Wyoming preparation. The juice sets beautifully with added pectin and sugar, producing a jewel-toned jelly with a flavor that's tart, fruity, and complex. It's phenomenal on toast, biscuits, and paired with sharp cheeses.
• Chokecherry syrup: A staple in Wyoming kitchens. Pour it over pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or use it to sweeten cocktails. The deep berry flavor is more interesting than maple syrup for those who like bold flavors.
• Chokecherry wine: Home winemaking with chokecherries is a time-honored Wyoming tradition. The berries produce a dry, tannic wine with a deep garnet color and flavors of dark fruit, earth, and spice.
• Pemmican: The original chokecherry recipe. Dried chokecherries pounded together with dried bison or elk meat and rendered fat. It's high-energy, shelf-stable, and a direct connection to Wyoming's Indigenous food traditions.
• Baking: Chokecherry juice or puree works beautifully in muffins, cakes, and pie fillings. The tartness pairs especially well with vanilla, almond, and warm spices like cardamom and ginger.
• Savory applications: Chokecherry sauce or reduction is incredible with game meats like elk, venison, and bison. The tartness cuts through rich, fatty meats the same way a good wine does.

For those who love discovering unique regional flavors, our fruit gift baskets showcase the best seasonal ingredients from across the country, giving you a taste of America's incredible agricultural diversity.

Send a Taste of Wyoming

Wyoming might not have made its state fruit official yet, but the chokecherry doesn't need a legislative stamp of approval to be legendary. This wild berry has fed people in Wyoming for thousands of years, from the first Native American communities to the ranching families and modern foragers who carry on the tradition today. It's resilient, flavorful, and completely unapologetic about being exactly what it is. In other words, it's very Wyoming.

Whether you're looking to share a taste of the American West with someone special, celebrate a milestone, or simply send something thoughtful, a beautifully curated gift basket filled with gourmet treats is always a welcome surprise. And with our same-day delivery options, sharing something special has never been easier.