Native Plants

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Sunday - March 25, 2007

From: Cincinnati, OH
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Trees
Title: Amelanchier arborea (common serviceberry) native to Ohio
Answered by: Damon Waitt

QUESTION:

I want to plant a row of serviceberries for the fruit. I will plant a variety that attains 6 to 10 feet. I was about to order amelanchier alnifolia var. Smokey, as it's described as having very tasty fruit. Suddenly though I wonder if it would be preferable to plant an amelanchier native to Ohio. Do you know of any varieties of A. arborea that have been bred to have improved fruit quality, size and yields?

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty plants commends you for doing your research on which Amelanchier species is native to Ohio. We found several reference to Amelanchier arborea (common serviceberry) cultivars including this website at Michigan State University Extension. Unfortunatley, none of the cultivar descriptions say anything about the sweetness of the fruit other than it is a preferred forage for birds. You might try contacting Lake County Nursery in Perry, Ohio to inquire further.