Allegheny serviceberry splendid year-round

Native Plants “Amelanchier laevis,” Allegheny serviceberry provide an early source of nectar for bees and other pollinators.

In summer, its berries change from green to red to blue to purplish-black, with more than one color appearing on the same fruit cluster. The berries resemble blueberries in size, color and taste.

The berries of Allegheny serviceberry are rich in essential minerals, vitamin C and antioxidants and

juicier and sweeter than other Amelanchier species.

Songbirds relish the berries and will eat them before they completely ripen. If one can beat the birds, the berries can be eaten raw or used for jams, jellies, baked goods and wine.

Come fall, the tree is in its full glory with red, yellow and orange coloring its leaves. The small, oval, finely serrated leaves emerge in spring with a reddish-purple tinge and mature to medium green. They occasionally serve as host to caterpillars of viceroy, striped hairstreak and Canadian tiger swallowtail butterflies.

With its branches bare in winter, the bark becomes the main feature. The younger twigs and stems have a reddish tinge. The older bark is smooth and slate-gray with light, vertical striations. The wood of Allegheny serviceberry is very hard and dense and ranks among the heaviest in the U.S.

Allegheny serviceberry is native to eastern North America, from Canada south to Georgia and west to Michigan and Kansas. It grows naturally as a 15- to 25-foot, multistemmed tree, but can be trained into a single trunk with pruning.

Its native habitat is thickets, open woods and forest edges. It will flower more in sun, but has a more open, graceful habit in shade. With small leaves, it provides dappled shade where other plants are able to grow.

Growing requirements

Hardiness: Zones 4-8 (possibly 9)

Sun: full sun to part shade

Water: medium to moist; intolerant of drought

Soil: prefers moist, humus-rich, welldrained; tolerates wide range

Maintenance: low Propagation: seed; rooted stem cuttings; grafting

Pests and diseases: none serious

Cultivars

Growers seeking a native-only garden should note that cultivars are genetically different from the native originals.

There are several cultivars of Amelanchier laevis. The most readily available is a cross between it and Amelanchier arborea called Autumn Brilliance with heavy flowering and brilliantred fall foliage.

Fun fact

Depending on the Native American tribe, serviceberries were used in a number of ways. The berries were dried and mixed with meat and fat to form a high-energy food, called pemmican, used to nourish winter travelers.