Common Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea

Native to:
Canada, United States

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Rosaceae
Genus:
Amelanchier
Species:
Amelanchier arborea
USDA Symbol:
AMAR3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub , Tree
Height:
762 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
mar,apr,may
Bloom Colors:
white
Food Forest:
Contains edible parts
Landscaping Shrub:
Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Butterflies & Moths:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Caterpillars:
★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Bethune's Pinion (Lithophane bethunei), Peach tree borer (Synanthedon exitiosa), Three-spotted sallow (Eupsilia tristigmata), Tischeria amelanchieris, wheatear sallow (Lithophane fagina), White-dotted Prominent (Nadata gibbosa)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, butterflies, bees, small mammals
Fall Color:
yellow, orange, red
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts vigorously from root crown after fire or top damage. Fire promotes suckering and maintains open woodland structure.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers forest edges and open woodlands

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days
Germination Time:
30–60 days
Notes:
Seeds require cold-moist stratification to break dormancy. Germination may be erratic and spread over multiple seasons.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI

Pre-treatment: Seed embryo dormancy is overcome by cold, moist stratification. Seed is sown in outdoor beds in the fall after cleaning to allow for natural stratification.

Establishment: Seeds are collected soon after ripening (between May 22 and June 27 in Cumberland Gap.) Collectors must compete with wildlife which will devour fruits as soon as they ripen. The plant is generally distributed in dry rocky upland woods, Maine and New Brunswick and s. Quebec to sw. Ontario and Minnesota, s. to Georgia, nw. Florida, Louisiana and e. Oklahoma.

Source: npn.rngr.net