Amelanchier laevis- Serviceberry

General: Multi-stemmed small tree or large shrub with a rounded crown. Grows 15-25’.

Leaves: Alternate and simple,obovate, 1-3” long. Leaves are a grayish color when they emerge and gradually change to dark green in the summer. Fall color can vary from a yellow orange to a dark red.

Flowers: 5 petaled showy, fragrant white flowers on pendulous racemes 2-4” long emerging with the leaves in April.

Fruit: A berry like pome to 1/3” in diameter. Starts green and matures from red to purplish black in June. Fruits are sweet and enjoyed by birds and wildlife. Often used in jams, jellies and pies.

Bark: Gray and smooth with reddish fissures. Becomes rigid and scaly in old age.

Attributes:  Best when used in naturalized settings. Woodland gardens, shrub borders, near ponds and streams edges of woodlands and native plant gardens.