Native Plant of the Week: Amelanchier

Amelanchier goes by several common names depending on your location. These include shadblow, shadbush, juneberry, and saskatoon. Amelanchier readily hybridizes with other species of its genus native to the same region, sometimes making the exact species of a plant difficult to ascertain.

Several different species of Amelanchier occur in Michigan and over most of the United States. Most of them are native to North America. According to the the University of Michigan Herbarium, several species occur in Michigan, including A. spicata, A. arborea, and A. interior.

A typical form of the serviceberry is a small, multi-trunked, airy shrub to tree reaching about 15-20 feet tall. Small, white, short-lived flowers appear in early spring. These are followed by round fruits that ripen to purple. Planting serviceberry is a great way to attract birds, which love the fruits—so much so that you’ll have to act quickly to harvest some for human consumption.


In fall the leaves turn brilliant shades of orange, purple, and red. A variety of bark patterns provide winter interest. In short, a great native plant for the garden.

Sources:

U Wisconsin Master Gardener program; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; University of Michigan Herbarium.