Amelanchier arborea #3 (Downy Serviceberry)

Downy Serviceberry is a graceful, native, small understory tree or tall shrub. They bloom in May with showy, slightly fragrant white sprays of dainty flowers that attract pollinators by offering nectar and pollen rewards for their services. Very ornamental pinkish-red berry-like fruits form in dangling clusters and ripen to a rich purple color by June. That is when the birds attack! They adore the fruits of Serviceberries and will strip it clean in a very short time. Humans can also eat the berries which are sweet and floral tasting, similar to blueberries, and they can be used to replace other berries in most recipes. However, tastier berries for human consumption are produced by Amelanchier laevis, a closely related species that sometimes naturally hybridizes with Amelanchier arborea in the wild, resulting in Amelanchier x grandiflora (Apple Serviceberry.)

Serviceberries are very ornamental and commonly used in the landscape. They prefer a moist, well-drained and acidic soil but are adaptable and easy to please. These trees tolerate clay soil but are not reliable in stressful environments where they experience drought and blazing hot sun and wind. Amelanchier arborea can be maintained as a small, single-trunk tree but the roots do tend to sucker. If the suckers are not removed, the effect will be an attractive multitrunked tree. The foliage and overall growth habit is soft and airy, and the fall colors are brilliant golden yellow, orange and red.

Besides their beauty, Amelanchier spp. have excellent wildlife value. Along with the incredible bounty of fruit and nectar that Serviceberries provide, they are also host to at least 92 species of Lepidoptera, including the Red-spotted Purple and the Striped Hairstreak.

Sources:
Native Trees, Shrubs, & Vines by William Cullina
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr
Missouri Botanical Garden
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Illinois Wildflowers
The Morton Arboretum-Black Walnut Tolerance

Photo Credits:
Flowering: Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fall Leaf: Amos Oliver Doyle, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons