Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry & Other Serviceberry Cultivars

Shadbush, saskatoon, sugarplum, juneberry…all are names applied to the serviceberry, a North American native with plenty of landscaping potential.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) is a small deciduous tree or shrub that provides year-round interest in the landscape. With small but showy spring flowers, edible fruit that is palatable to humans and wildlife, eye-catching fall foliage, and ornamental bark that can create texture in otherwise dreary winter scenes, serviceberries fill several niches in a landscaping scheme.

Serviceberries find equal use as single specimens or as group plantings and hedges. They stand out well against darker foliage, such as low-growing evergreens.

Uses for Serviceberry

Historically, serviceberries have been used as food (the crushed berries served as one component of pemmican, a Native American staple) and a source of wood for the manufacture of combs, arrows, tool handles, hoops and fire drills. Aerial components of the plants (stems, leaves, and berries) were decocted for use as medicine.

In recent years, serviceberries have been cultivated commercially in Canada for their blueberry-like fruit, and some people might even think serviceberries are members of the blueberry family.

In fact, the 30-odd species of the genus are in the same family as roses and apples, and serviceberry fruit is technically classified as a pome.

Several serviceberry cultivars have been developed for their larger, sweeter fruit. Serviceberries make excellent jellies and jams, syrups, wine, and fruit leather; some bakers use serviceberries interchangeably with blueberries.

The ¼ to ¾-inch fruits of serviceberry cultivars are well-liked by birds and will attract goldfinches, titmice, thrashers, jays, chickadees, robins, grouse, woodpeckers, and cardinals, to name a few. Since serviceberries are browsed by deer and moose, it is advisable to fence plants until they are well-established in areas where ungulates are present.

Planting and Growing Conditions for Serviceberry

Serviceberries are native to North America and are well-adapted to a wide variety of climatologic zones and habitats. They thrive in full sun and partial shade; some species are adapted to boggy areas, while others are drought-tolerant—although most varieties provide better fruit production when planted in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Most are hardy from USDA zones 4 to 9; some are hardy to zone 3.

Serviceberry Cultivars

Autumn Brilliance or Apple serviceberry (A. grandiflora): Upright branching habit. Grows to 20 feet. Good for shaded areas. Produces larger flowers than other cultivars; some are pink. Berries are up to ¾ inch. Fall leaf color is bright orange-red. Cultivars include ‘Ballerina’ and ‘Rubescens’.

Saskatoon (A. alnifolia): Native to western North America, a branching, woody shrub that grows to 10-12 feet tall. Spreads by rhizomes. Small white flowers emerge shortly after leaves unfold in late spring. ½-inch, dark-purple fruits are produced in clusters. ‘Smoky’, ‘Thiessen’, and ‘Northline’ are popular cultivars. Hardy to zone 3.

Shadblow (A. canadensis): Native to eastern North America, an upright shrub or small tree that grows up to 20 feet tall. Occurs naturally in boggy sites. White flowers are borne in erect clusters. New leaves are wooly; older foliage is smooth and turns gold in autumn. Bark is silver-gray and striped. Cultivars include ‘Micropetala’, ‘Rainbow Pillar’, and ‘Springtime’. Hardy to zone 3.

Downy serviceberry (A. arborea): Slow-growing tree to 25 feet. Flowers are white. Medium-green leaves turn yellow-orange to red in fall. Berries are small and red. Bark is gray, smooth and striped. Good for wet sites and tolerant of pollution.