Common Seviceberry Amelanchier arborea var. arborea
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Amelanchier oblongifolia
- Phonetic Spelling
- am-eh-LAN-kee-er ar-BOR-ee-ah vah-RYE-eh-tee ar-BOR-ee-ah
- Description
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Common Serviceberry is an early flowering native multi-stemmed shrub or single-trunked small tree. The trunk is typically short and may be up to 16" across. It will form several trunks, making the pruning of the central leader necessary to grow as a tree.
One of three natives, Amelanchier Arborea, var. Arborea is the one generally known as common serviceberry.
Its seeds are spread by birds.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Occasionally, rust, leaf spot, fire blight, and powdery mildew may occur. Insects include sawfly, borers, leaf miner and scale.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Amelanchier
- Species:
- arborea
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Northern America
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX., VA, VT, WI, WV
- Wildlife Value:
- The fruit attracts birds, a nectar plant for butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- dry soil, mildly resistant to damage by deer
- Edibility:
- The fruit is edible.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Multi-stemmed
- Multi-trunked
- Rounded
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The plant has small, reddish-purple, apple-like fruits. The fruit, which appear after flowering, attracts birds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- This plant has drooping racemes of 6 to 14 star-shaped, white to pale pink flowers that bloom in early spring. Individual flowers are under 1" is size.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are hairy on the underside until maturity. They become less hairy as they mature. Mature leaves do have some hairs, but not as hairy as when young. The light green petioles are up to 1.5" in length and while young, covered with wooly hairs. Nice fall color.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Bark Description:
- Trunk bark is gray. As the plant ages, it develops shallow furrows and flat ridges.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Slope/Bank
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Dry Soil