Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Amelanchier

Species:

Amelanchier humilis

USDA Symbol:

AMHU2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

120 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals, butterflies, native bees

Fall Color:

red, orange, yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from root crown after fire. Common in fire-maintained prairie ecosystems and benefits from periodic burning to reduce woody competition.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers open, sunny areas with good air circulation

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Germination can be erratic; some seeds may remain dormant for one year. Fresh seed germinates better than stored seed.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI