Shadblow Serviceberry, Canada serviceberry, Juneberry, Shadbush
The lovely understory tree is at home in swamps, or lowlands, but is also drought tolerant, making it ideal for floodplains, but it tolerates a variety of conditions. It provides multi-season interest, flowering in spring, then setting fruit, and giving fall color. It is less tolerant of pollution and urban heat islands and would not be ideal as a street tree.
"In the early summer this small tree produces berries relished by American Robins, Gray Catbirds, Cedar Waxwings, and Northern Mockingbirds. Other birds and mammals eat the fruits as well. The popular fruits disappear quickly, often before they are completely ripe. The foliage of Serviceberry is food for 124 species of caterpillars including Striped Hairstreak and Red-spotted Purple butterflies and Blinded Sphinx and Small-eyed Sphinx moths. The nectar-rich flowers attract adult butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators." (Via backyardsfornature.org)
According to the USDA, the common name of Shadbush was given because its flowering coincides with the annual migration of shad in New England rivers.
Public Domain image from Wikimedia Commons
Larval Host for the
Striped Hairstreak, Red-spotted Purple butterfly
10-25'
5-10'
SIZE
SOIL
Well-drained, Moist, Well-Drained, Dry, Wet, Average
LIGHT
Sun, Part Shade
BENEFITS
Songbirds, Native Bees
NOTES
To avoid risk of cedar apple rust (which spoils the fruit for human consumption), do not plant near cedar trees!
CHARACTERISTICS
Ornamental, Low Maintenance, Edible Fruit, Drought Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Tolerates Clay, Early Spring Bloomer, Will Naturalize
April, May
Small Tree
This
flowers in
Eastern Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
DETAIL VIEW
DESCRIPTION
The lovely understory tree is at home in swamps, or lowlands, but is also drought tolerant, making it ideal for floodplains, but it tolerates a variety of conditions. It provides multi-season interest, flowering in spring, then setting fruit, and giving fall color. It is less tolerant of pollution and urban heat islands and would not be ideal as a street tree.
"In the early summer this small tree produces berries relished by American Robins, Gray Catbirds, Cedar Waxwings, and Northern Mockingbirds. Other birds and mammals eat the fruits as well. The popular fruits disappear quickly, often before they are completely ripe. The foliage of Serviceberry is food for 124 species of caterpillars including Striped Hairstreak and Red-spotted Purple butterflies and Blinded Sphinx and Small-eyed Sphinx moths. The nectar-rich flowers attract adult butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators." (Via backyardsfornature.org)
According to the USDA, the common name of Shadbush was given because its flowering coincides with the annual migration of shad in New England rivers.
Public Domain image from Wikimedia Commons