Plant Image Data Base                                         

  Amelanchier

                                                       Serviceberry or Juneberry

• Form
  • deciduous ornamental trees and shrubs, encompassing several species that are often difficult to distinguish among
  • variable size from medium to large shrubs or small to medium single- or multi-trunked trees (depending upon species, hybrids, and cultivars)
  • size range from 6' to 30' tall and 4' to 10' wide among the various species
  • upright oval to upright clump growth habit
  • slow to medium growth rate
• Culture
  • full sun to full shade (partial sun to partial shade is best, 
  • prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soils but will tolerate alkaline soils
  • propagated primarily by seeds or rooted stem cuttings
  • Rose Family, with no serious disease or pest problems for this genus

• Foliage
  • alternate, emerging pubescent gray-green and becoming glabrous medium green
  • elliptical to oval and finely serrated
  • all but the largest Serviceberries cast a dappled light shade
  • fall color ranging from yellow to orange to red in October, often spectacular among the cultivated forms
• Flowers
  • as flower bud scales abscise, the swollen flower buds emerge very pubescent, silver-green, and ornamentally effective for two to three weeks before the inflorescences fully open
  • 3" vertical to pendulous inflorescences, having white flowers that are very showy and effective from one day to one week in mid-April, before the petals quickly drop as rain falls or the foliage emerges
  • one of the first shrubs or small trees to have showy flowering in Spring

• Fruits
  • round fruits in pendulous clusters exhibit a color transition from green to yellow to red to blue to purple to black, with many colors often being on the same fruit cluster as it ripens
  • ripening in June (hence the common name of Juneberry) and attracting birds and squirrels, which often eat the fruits

• Purpose
  • Serviceberry is one of the best four-season multistemmed shrubs or single- to multi-trunked small- to medium-sized trees, with many species and cultivars to choose from, primarily for variation in mature size.
• Summary
  • Amelanchier is a four-season plant of great ornamental value for spring flowers, summer fruits and foliage, fall color, winter bark/twig/bud character, and fine texture.

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