Native Americans utilized the plant for a number of medicinal and other purposes.[3] The Navajo used it for toothache. They considered it a sacred plant and sacrificed it to the gods. Several groups used the fruit for food by eating it fresh, cooked, or dried, eating it mixed with clay, boiling it into a syrup, and making it into beverages.[3] Among the Zuni people, the berries are eaten raw when perfectly ripe or boiled and sometimes sweetened.[4] The ground leaves, twigs and flowers given to warriors for protection during war.[5]