Table of Contents
Is serviceberry a good tree?
Serviceberry comes in both tree and shrub (multi-trunk) forms, and pruning determines its shape. They grow 1′ to 2′ a year, so they’re a good choice if you want a tree that won’t grow like crazy and take over your yard. Serviceberries are one of the best small trees for fall color.
How do I know if I have serviceberry?
The trees have distinctly smooth gray bark and produce showy, star-shaped white flowers with five slender petals in the spring — very typical of the Rosaceae family. The fruits look more like a blueberry than anything else, though usually slightly larger.
How big does a serviceberry tree get?
Mature Size The downy serviceberry grows to a height of 15–25′ and a spread of 15–25′ at maturity.
Is serviceberry a bush or tree?
Downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is a deciduous, small tree or shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae) with a native habitat stretching from Maine to Iowa, south to northern Florida and Louisiana. It can be found throughout South Carolina and is hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
Can you eat a serviceberry?
Food Use. During the summer the ripe serviceberry fruits can be eaten raw, cooked, or dried. The leaves can be dried and used for tea (Kindscher 1987: 28). Many Native North American tribes commonly ate the sweet and juicy ripe serviceberry fruit.
How long does a serviceberry tree live?
Trees grow 20 to 50 feet in height with a variable spread. Plants can be grown single-trunked or multi-stemmed. Downy serviceberry is relatively short lived. It rarely lives longer than 50 years.
How do I identify a serviceberry tree?
Serviceberries are small trees or large shrubs with slender trunks. Bark is smooth and grey with darker, twisted vertical lines. Bark becomes rough and develops scales with age. Twigs are slender with narrow appressed buds that are twisted with a tapered point, and typically have 5 scales.
What does serviceberry bark look like?
Its white flower clusters droop when they bloom, its berries are red when ripe and its bark is smooth, gray and vertically striped. Like downy serviceberry, its bark is gray and striped, but it holds its flower clusters more upright. Its berries are dark blue or nearly black when they are ripe.
What do Juneberries look like?
The ripe juneberry fruit is dark purple, with several tiny soft seeds, and very closely resembles a highbush blueberry. The fruit is best eaten fresh, but even after prolonged freezing, it retains its firmness and overall shape without becoming mushy.
Are serviceberries fast growing?
Serviceberry trees grow fast and can quickly fill a garden.
Which serviceberry is the best?
The most flavorful amelanchier is the Saskatoon serviceberry (A. alnifolia). This vase-shaped, multi-stemmed shrub was used by native Americans as the main ingredient in pemmican. The 3-10 foot shrub is grown commercially for its healthy, tasty fruit.
Are serviceberries invasive?
Serviceberries cast light shade and their roots are not invasive. As a result, plants that prefer partial shade generally do well planted under them.
Do serviceberry trees smell?
To some noses, serviceberry flowers are lightly fragrant. To others, like that of woody plant guru, Michael Dirr, they are “weakly malodorous.” Sources may disagree on fragrance, but agree on beauty.
Are serviceberry trees toxic to dogs?
What Berries to Avoid. There are some berries that will make your dog sick although it may not affect humans. For example, regional berries can run the gamut: gooseberries, marionberries, salmonberries, and serviceberries may be toxic to your dog.
Are serviceberry deer resistant?
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry will attract wildlife, birds, is deer resistant, and is a Firewise plant. It is also a native shrub for our area.
Why is it called a serviceberry?
One story is that the first settlers in the New England area often planned funeral services at the same time that the tree bloomed. Its blooming was a sign that the ground had thawed sufficiently to be able to dig graves. So the tree became known as the ‘serviceberry tree. ‘Apr 25, 2012.
What animals eat serviceberry?
Wildlife Plants:: Serviceberry Many birds take advantage of the fruit including chickadees, juncos, bluebirds, goldfinches, orioles, tanagers and more. Mammals make use of the berries as well as the leaves and twigs such as skunks, foxes and chipmunks which eat the berries and deer and elk which eat the foliage.
What can you do with a serviceberry?
Serviceberry fruit is delicious straight from the tree and can be used any way you’d use blueberries: smoothies, cobblers, pies, muffins, pancakes, jellies, jams, and ice cream.
Do serviceberry trees have deep roots?
Serviceberry root systems are shallow and are not considered invasive. This variety is also a recommended tree for planting near sewer lines by University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
Can you plant Amelanchier near a house?
The best trees to plant in close proximity to buildings are those that are technically considered to be shrubby in nature. They are therefore not very fast growing and are small in height at maturity. Trees that fit these parameters are as follows: Amelanchier arborea Robin Hill.
When can I transplant serviceberry?
The best time to transplant serviceberries is in the winter while the plants are dormant. This gives the trees time to adjust to the new location before they start blooming in the early spring.
