Blooms in March and April (depending on location), with delicate white flowers arranged in clusters. Is one of the finest small trees for fall color, with leaves turning vivid shades of red and gold. Produces berry-like fruit that ripens in June, changing from green to red to purplish black. Grows in a rounded shape.

How long do serviceberry trees bloom?

Serviceberry reaches a mature height 15' to 30' tall with a spread of 15' to 25', and has an airy, rounded shape. Its bloom time is shorter than most flowering trees, with blooms lasting just 3 or 4 days but it makes up for the brief show of color in spring by making colorful leaves in the fall.

Do serviceberry trees grow fast?

Serviceberry trees grow fast and can quickly fill a garden.

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.

When should serviceberry bushes be trimmed?

Serviceberries require pruning yearly; late winter or early spring is best before the new leaves appear. Inspect the tree for deadwood, diseased wood, and crossed branches. Use clean and sharp pruners to remove just what is necessary. Leaving some old growth is important, as the flowers form on old wood.

How to Grow and Care for Serviceberries

What does a serviceberry look like?

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.

How tall does a serviceberry get?

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

Can you eat a serviceberry?

Food Use. 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.

Why is my serviceberry tree dying?

Leaf scorch is a physiological problem, typically caused by extremes in surrounding culture, such as too much or too little water, inadequate root growth space, a nutrient deficiency, extremely low or high temperatures or high winds.

When can I transplant serviceberry?

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.

What can I plant with serviceberry?

Companion Planting and Design

Grow serviceberry trees in naturalized groups with other spring flowering trees and shrubs, such as Cornelian cherry and forsythia, or with other berry producing plants to attract birds, such as viburnum and dogwoods.

Are serviceberry trees disease resistant?

Care for serviceberry trees, once established, is minimal. This variety requires little to no care, as it is drought tolerant and disease resistant. ... Remove any suckers if you prefer a tree rather than a shrubby growth habit.

Do deer eat serviceberry trees?

Serviceberry (Amelanchier) – This native shrub has beautiful white flowers in early spring, and edible berries, but it is usually left alone by deer.

Can you keep a serviceberry small?

Whether pruned into a small tree or grown as a large shrub, serviceberry is easy to care for, drought tolerant once established, and a versatile choice for the ornamental garden.

Do serviceberry trees smell bad?

Serviceberry offers showy flowers, spectacular fall foliage, and edible, tasty fruits. ... It explodes in windstorms, its flowers smell like fish, it grows too big, and thousands of its thorny seedlings now consume roadsides and the woods.

Do serviceberry trees have deep roots?

Root System. Serviceberry trees have very shallow root systems because they will only grow in areas that are very moist. These shallow roots make for very easy transplanting and are a large part of why they are such popular ornamental trees.

Is my serviceberry dead?

If you see green tissue beneath the bark, the branch is still alive. If the tissue is brown, that part of the branch is dead and should be pruned back. Sometimes pruning will prompt healthy new growth so you won't hurt your serviceberry by pruning it back a little.

What's wrong with my serviceberry tree?

Few pests or diseases bother serviceberry shrubs, and the ones that do usually cause cosmetic problems rather than kill the plant. Some of the common insect infestations include aphids, sawflies, leaf miners, borers and scale, while diseases may include leaf spot, blight and powdery mildew.

What's wrong with my serviceberry plant?

Entomosporium leaf and berry spot is one of the most common diseases of serviceberry plants. Symptoms include small, angular brown discolorations on the leaves, often with a yellow ring around the spot. Low humidity helps keep disease occurrence low, but in rainy years or if over-watered, it can still be a problem.

Why is it called serviceberry?

One story is that the first settlers in the New England area often planned funeral services at the same time that the tree bloomed. Its blooming was a sign that the ground had thawed sufficiently to be able to dig graves. So the tree became known as the 'serviceberry tree. '

Are Serviceberries good?

Studies show the berries to be higher than blueberries in vitamin C, fiber, iron, and protein. Serviceberry fruit is delicious straight from the tree and can be used any way you'd use blueberries: smoothies, cobblers, pies, muffins, pancakes, jellies, jams, and ice cream.

What color are ripe Serviceberries?

When ripe, they are dark red, purple or almost black in color. They are primarily harvested for juice, jellies, jams and pies, but can also be eaten fresh. Serviceberries are cold hardy to zone 3, adapt to a range of soil types and may have desirable ornamental qualities.

Do birds like serviceberry trees?

Cedar Waxwings like to feast in groups, and they are not alone in loving Serviceberries – at least 35 species of birds eat the fruit, including: Mocking Birds, Robins, Catbirds, Baltimore Orioles, Grosbeaks, Thrushes and others. ... An added bonus – Serviceberry fruits are edible by humans and are highly nutritious.

Is serviceberry toxic to dogs?

For example, regional berries can run the gamut: gooseberries, marionberries, salmonberries, and serviceberries may be toxic to your dog. ... If your dog has gotten into these berries, you may need to call poison control. Two fruits (not berries) to avoid are grapes and cherries, both of which are toxic to dogs.

What animals eat serviceberry?

Wildlife Plants:: Serviceberry

Many birds take advantage of the fruit including chickadees, juncos, bluebirds, goldfinches, orioles, tanagers and more. Mammals make use of the berries as well as the leaves and twigs such as skunks, foxes and chipmunks which eat the berries and deer and elk which eat the foliage.