Smooth Shadbush Amelanchier laevis
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Amelanchier arborea ssp. laevis
- Amelanchier arborea var. cordifolia
- Amelanchier arborea var. laevis
- Amelanchier laevis var. nitida
- Phonetic Spelling
- am-uh-LAN-kee-er LAY-viss
- Description
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Allegheny Serviceberry is a deciduous tree or shrub in the rose family native to Eastern North America and the mountains of NC. It typically grows 15 to 25 feet tall as a multi-trunked tree or in a shrub form. In the wild, it may grow up to 40 feet tall. In spring, 5-petaled, white flowers are borne on 4-inch racemes that are quite showy and are followed by purple edible berries that mature in June.
It prefers moist, acidic, well-drained loams and will tolerate a range of soil types but not drought. It flowers best in part sun to part shade but tolerates shade. It is medium to fast-growing but a fairly short-lived tree.
Allegheny Serviceberry can be used as a small shade tree, street tree, in a woodland setting or used as a shrub in borders and hedges. To use as a tree it must be pruned to the shape as it tends to want to grow shrubby.
It is distinguished from other varieties by the hairless foliage, purple-tinged new growth, and the tastier berries.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Leaf miners, borers, aphids, and spider mites are insects that may affect the plant. Diseases include leaf blight, fire blight, and powdery mildew. The fruit may rot in wet weather.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs, and Conifers" 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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- Amelanchier lamarckii
Rich bronze-red new growth - ‘Cumulus'
Shorter tree - 'Lustre Allegheny'
20' at maturity. - 'Snowcloud'
Works will in limited spaces. Great street tree. - 'Snowflakes'
Low growing variety. - 'Spring Flurry'
Orange fall foliage. Good street tree.
- Amelanchier lamarckii
- Amelanchier lamarckii, ‘Cumulus', 'Lustre Allegheny', 'Snowcloud', 'Snowflakes', 'Spring Flurry'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Amelanchier lamarckii
Rich bronze-red new growth - ‘Cumulus'
Shorter tree - 'Lustre Allegheny'
20' at maturity. - 'Snowcloud'
Works will in limited spaces. Great street tree. - 'Snowflakes'
Low growing variety. - 'Spring Flurry'
Orange fall foliage. Good street tree.
- Amelanchier lamarckii
- Amelanchier lamarckii, ‘Cumulus', 'Lustre Allegheny', 'Snowcloud', 'Snowflakes', 'Spring Flurry'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Amelanchier
- Species:
- laevis
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used by native Americans to make pemmican- a high energy cake made with the dried fruits, meat and fat for traveling. The bark has been used in herbal medicine.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern North America
- Distribution:
- USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Host plant for Red-Spotted Purple and Viceroy butterflies. Butterflies and other insects nectar at the blooms. Fruits are eaten by songbirds, ruffed grouse, small mammals, and large mammals. Mildly resistant to deer. Bees are attracted to the flowers.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Drought tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Fruit tastes similar to a blueberry and can be used raw or cooked.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Irregular
- Multi-stemmed
- Multi-trunked
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- 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:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Sweet berry-like pome that matures to purple. The berries resemble blueberries and are used in jams and jellies. The fruit attracts birds. Fruit displays from May to June.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- 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 small, white flowers from March to April on 4 inch long racemes. Often blooms before ith leaves appear except in the northernmost range.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are oval and 2 to 4 inches long and 1-2 inches wide. Margins are serrated, tips abruptly pointed, the base is rounded. New growth emerges as bronze-purple, turns glossy green in summer, and clear yellow to red fall color. The minimal amount of hairs on stalks and leaves makes this variety slightly different than other Amelanchier varieties.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- The bark is smooth and slate-gray with white, longitudinal stripes. On mature trees it splits and furrows becoming rough.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Scaly
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are slender and flexible, reddish-brown with fine hair. New growth is green. The buds are long and pointed, with scales that have reddish-yellow to reddish-green margins and usually have some hair
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Shade Tree
- Small groups
- Small Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Salt
- Urban Conditions
