Saskatoon serviceberry, Western Shad bush
Amelanchier sanguinea var. alnifolia

Family: Rosaceae

What it is like

A shrub which grows 4-9 m high and 3 m across. In high altitude zones it is low and straggly. It spreads by stolons or runners, forming a thicket. The trunk can be 20 cm across. The bark is grey or brown and thin and smooth. The leaves are oval and 2-5 cm across. The base is rounded. There are coarse teeth along the edge. The flowers are white. They are 2-3 cm wide. They have 5 narrow white petals. The fruit are purple and 15 mm across. The fruit are edible. There are many named cultivated varieties.

There are about 25-30 Amelanchier species.

Where it is found

A temperate plant. They prefer well drained moist soils. They are cold and drought tolerant. It grows naturally in moist soils in Western and Central North America. It grows up to 1800 m altitude. It prefers a rich loamy soil. It has a chilling requirement. It suits hardiness zones 3-9. Arboretum Tasmania.

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Australia, Canada, North America, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw or cooked. They are like blueberries in appearance and taste. They can be dried and eaten like raisins. They are used in puddings, pies and muffins. They can be used for jelly and jam. The leaves are used as a tea substitute.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves - tea

How it is grown

They can be grown from seed, cuttings or suckers. The seeds are cleaned and stored at -4°C in a sealed container for 3 months. Plants need to be 2-3 m apart. Plants can be sown in autumn and allowed to get cold treatment in the site.

Its other names

Local names

Alderleaf serviceberry, Dwarf Service-berry, Sq'sk

Synonyms

Amelanchier alnifolia (Nutt.) Nutt. ex M. Roem.; Amelanchier florida Lindl.; Aronia alnifolia Nutt.;