How do I identify a serviceberry tree?

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.

Is serviceberry a tree or a bush?

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.

What does a serviceberry shrub look like?

Most types of serviceberry bushes are multi-trunked. Their bark color varies from tan to pale gray; some varieties also have dark lines on their branches and trunks, and most have reddish-brown twigs that grow in a zigzag pattern.

Is serviceberry a good street tree?

Survival, growth, and health have been superior on more spacious sites, but with proper care, serviceberry cultivars can do well even along downtown streets. All eight of these cultivars are appropriate for planting under overhead wires.

Can you eat Serviceberries raw?

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.

Are Saskatoon berries the same as Serviceberries?

Serviceberry (or juneberry or saskatoon berry) is in the same family as roses, apples, and plums. We mostly call these trees juneberry, their common name in the U.S. In Canada they’re referred to as saskatoon berry, and it seems they’re better known and more used there.

Is there a serviceberry tree?

Serviceberry trees and shrubs (Amelanchier spp.) are members of the Rosaceae family—the massive group that includes roses and many flowering, fruiting trees and shrubs. Serviceberries are deciduous and found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

Do serviceberry trees drop fruit?

Serviceberry trees (Amelanchier canadensis) are considered excellent urban street trees except for one fact: Their fruits stain sidewalks. They bloom in early spring and produce small, round, red berries in June, which is why the trees are also called Juneberry trees.

How big does a serviceberry shrub get?

Mature Size The downy serviceberry grows to a height of 15–25′ and a spread of 15–25′ at maturity.

Is serviceberry 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 messy trees?

It is true that the Serviceberry’s blue-black fruits can be messy, if enough drop before the birds eat them, but if people foraged the berries, there would be little worry regarding the mess at ground level.

Are Serviceberries messy?

IME, not messy at all compared to many other types of fruiting trees. Birds usually manange to harvest all the fruit before it is even fully ripe.

How big does a service berry tree get?

Serviceberry Tree Facts. Shadblow serviceberry ( Amelanchier canadensis ), also known as Canadian serviceberry or Juneberry, is a large, multi-trunked shrub that can grow up to 30 feet tall.

When to plant serviceberry tree?

Serviceberries prefer moist soils, but adapt to nearly any soil including dry poor areas. 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.

Where to buy serviceberry trees?

Serviceberry trees can be bought from local garden centers; they will either be potted in containers or wrapped in polyester bags. If the tree is potted, lay it on the soil and roll from side to side to loosen it.

Are serviceberry trees fast growing?

Apple Serviceberry. A hybrid form, apple serviceberry ( Amelanchier x grandiflora) is a fast-growing tree that can reach 25 feet tall and wide. It was bred for disease resistance, profuse blossoms and very bright orange-red fall foliage.