Chokecherries are ripening on Colorado slopes from August through September.
Their deep purple color at this time of year contrasts with the bright red of early spring.
In this audio-postcard, Boulder naturalist Stephen R. Jones, author of the new book, Nourishing Waters, Comforting Sky, and co-author of Butterflies of the Colorado Front Range, explores the chokecherry crop on Boulder's open space.

Summer monsoon rains have created a bumper crop of chokecherries this year.
Chokecherries are a favorite of the region's native tribes, including the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Mountain Utes, and Lakota (canpa’-hu.)
While they are growing sweeter at this time of year, these berries are very astringent for much of the summer, giving the reason for their name.
Copyright 2022 Aspen Public Radio . To see more, visit Aspen Public Radio .