Thanks for the reply and email vonyon. I did find them and will most likely order from there today. Unfortunately my first choice, Forest Farm, does not have the variety I'm looking for. I am looking to order a A. grandiflora 'Robin Hill' from them later on. Really looking forward to receiving it and watching it mature. I've read good things about this being a very wildlife-friendly tree.

Very helpful people at SLN. Sent an email yesterday to receive a catalog. They emailed me back this morning to tell me the catalog was on the way and that if I used that to order I would not meet the deadline. They also checked to make sure the tree I wanted was, in fact, in stock so I wouldn't have to waste my time rushing an order for an item that was out of stock. Thanks to them I sent an order out today at lunch. Hopefully the product will be as good as the service.

Thanks for the link vonyon.

Good to hear vonyon. Tell me, are the autumn brilliance single or multi-stem plants?

John, do you mean what size they are when mature? If so, I have seen pics of them in Dirr's book and they look like small trees. I believe they can be multi-stemed, or you can prune to have one trunk. They remind me a bit of Japanese maple type trees in shape and size. If you mean right now, they are really just small single stems at the moment with a root ball and leaf buds. They are grown in zone 3, so his claim to fame is having trees that are able to withstand northern climates. I believe he focuses on building roots rather than pushing stem and leaf growth like the nurseries. I think this is somewhere on the web site and I may be butchering it. I forgot to mention that I also ordered 1 Success because it is supposed to be a good cross-pollinator for Autumn Brilliance. I also ordered some of the Shadbush stuff from NH Nursery. To be honest, I think they are a bit bigger than the cultivars right now.

Another nursery that I forgot to mention is Pine Ridge Nursery in Arkansas. I got an order from them. They have some Allegheny and Stolonifera. The only thing I hadn't though of is that they are so far ahead of me here that I'm afraid that they may not do well this first year. They have lots of leaf on them and even some buds and one the A. stolonifera there are some green berries. My leaf buds are just starting. Magnolias are finishing up and the grass just needs mowing now. I got them today also. I've been in CT lately and I think they are 1 to 2 weeks ahead of me, so you might not have that problem.

I'll be planting away tomorrow and Sunday!

Through local conservation district native plant sales, I purchased 30 A. alnifolia bareroot plants. I also (using wholesale connections) bought two 7' b&b plants for guaranteed fruit this year. 32 plants for less than $100.

The "seedlings" were already 4 feet tall, with not a lot of root structure to support them. Despite this, I have only lost one (one of the last ones planted on a warm day.)
Even a group that I planted in a reed canarygrass infestation are thriving. I re-transplanted a few and noticed new root development, but not as quickly as I hoped. I now fertilize them occasionally with 0-10-10 Alaska fish fertilizer, hoping to build up strong roots to get them through the summer, which seems to already be here (I appear to be the only one who isn't happy about it.)

Can't wait until they are big enough that I can stop bothering with deer repellents.

Actually vonyon, I meant how were they now, which you answered quite nicely. Just wondering how they were going to be when I got them. Thanks again.

Two different serviceberries that I planted are now producing fruit it taste like blueberries. I bought two running serviceberries last September at Bowman's they were so small I thought they would die this past winter, but instead they bloomed and now have delicous berries. The other one I bought this spring canadian serviceberry was enormous and in bloom now has delicous berries also I thought I would have to wait at least until June. Haven't seen any birds use them yet though. Sarah

Sarah, so glad to hear this. I bought A. stolonifera which might be the running serviceberry. I got it from Pine Ridge Gardens in Arkansas and it was at least a month ahead when I got it. It is really fairly large for a potted shrub and has berries on it already, but I assumed I'd be waiting at least 3 years to see much more on it. I'm glad to hear you are having such luck. I bought a bunch of the shadbush that I think you are referring to also, but it came bare root. Glad to hear it grows quickly.

Serviceberries around here are fruiting heavily. My older Regent Shrubs have so many fruits now, I just can't believe it. The small Regents have fruit too, but not much of course, since I only put them in last year. So far I have seen the Mockingbird, Robin and Orioles eating the Serviceberries. The fruit is much larger than they were last year, I think because the shrubs had time to mature. The fruit on the small shrubs is much smaller.

Anyway, there are no Catbirds here this year so I have been able to eat lots of the fruit myself. Last year the Catbirds just about camped out in the Serviceberry Shrubs and would eat the berries all day long as they ripened.

Fruit on the Grandiflora is not ripe yet but I did eat some fruit off the Honeywood Serviceberry. It does taste slightly different from the Regent and not quite as big. I like the Regent better. Really, I think Regents are the best of the shrub Serviceberries and they only grow about 6 feet tall so never get too big. They set an amazing amount of fruit and start at an early age.

newyorkrita ,I think I have all your catbirds they are everywhere here so I gave them some strawberries that I bought at the store.I haven't noticed them at the serviceberries yet though! Sarah

Well, the Catbirds were not here when the Serviceberries had fruit but they are here now eating fruit from anything that is ripe!

Well, the Serviceberry leaves are turning Autumn Gold now.

Yeh, it's March! That means soon I can look forward to green buds and flowers on my serviceberries (and everything else too!). I just can't wait for winter to be over and spring to arrive in the garden.

Good thread for a future juneberry newbie. How are you peoples growing these things? I've got a spot that will get about 2 or 3 hours of noon light with light shade in the morning and heavier shade in the afternoon. Sound good?
Looking at sln's site I am thinking of a prince william and a success since I don't really want them to go over 15'. Perhaps a smokey too...

Here is a link that might be useful: SLN

Dragon, I think that it sounds as though they would grow there, but you might not get many berries. I believe they need more sun than that. I'm no expert though.

I have found that the Regent Serviceberries fruit the heaviest and the birds do very much like them but there are fruit that they eat first such as the sweet cherries and the blueberries.

The Regent Serviceberries have the largest berries of any of the ones in my yard. Still Serviceberries taste so bland to be compaired to blueberries. I don't really know why they are compaired to Blueberries, they don't taste at all alike.

Lately I have a Mockingbird going crazy trying to guard the Serviceberries and Blueberries from other fruit eating birds. A lost cause for him. There are some robins around that prefer the Serviceberies to the Blueberries and the Catbirds grab whichever they can before the Mockingbird notices them.

Ummm...at the SLN sight, it says serviceberries need 2 to pollinate? Did I read that right?

Ummm...at the SLN sight, it says serviceberries need 2 to pollinate? Did I read that right?

You must not have. I have never read anything like that. I ordered an amelanchier from them last spring and its doing very well. In fact, when I opened the package, there were actually two trees. I've also rooted a cutting successfully from one this spring, so I now have my third serviceberry for my yard. SLN is an excellent place to buy from.

I believe that you will get a heavy fruit set with more than one type. Maybe that is what you are thinking of? They are like apples that way. They must be different species, but flower at the same time.

I love how long a history this thread has! :) Gives me hope for my little serviceberries--maybe one of y'all has an idea on what might be plaguing my serviceberries. This spring, I ordered two serviceberries (A. canadiensis) from Wayside Gardens. It was my first order from them. So far the multi-stemmed trees are doing fairly well--though I fear that they have rust or a similar problem. They are growing well but some of the leaves are reddish (drying up and dying) and have holes in them. I plan to investigate that further today--any links on serviceberry disease/pests? It has been a cool dry spring with a very sudden onset of blistering heat--so they may just be wanting more water than I've been providing. One leafed out well before the other, but both are about the same height (4.5-5 ft). They are lovely plants, and the more I read, the more inspired I get! :)

Hi Everyone. I am thinking of putting a serviceberry in my front yard. However, I am confused as to which serviceberry is the tallest. Please help by giving me the exact name so that I can make sure I got the right one. I want the tree and not the bush. Also, how tall is the tallest serviceberry tree at maturity and how long will that take to reach maturity? Thank you.

Jane,
If you can find Allegheny Serviceberry, A.laevis - it'll probably be your best bet for a tree-type serviceberry. May still require some work to get it to stay as a single-stem plant early on, but it can be done with some judicious pruning.
Can't give you any real indication on how fast they grow - that'll vary considerably, based on soil conditions and genetics. I've seen some nice tree-form A.laevis that were 15 ft or so here in town(Hopkinsville). OIKOS Tree Crops offers seedlings of selections (A.laevis and A.x lamarckii) that are 25-40 ft.

I forgot I posted on this thread...here is what it says about the serviceberry, I copied and pasted it here...I spaced it where it talks about needing "at least 2 to POLLINATE"....

Wild Juneberry or Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia & canadensis
attractive to wildlife
1 to 2 ft. plants $6.00 each, $50 package of 10

At least two plants required for pollination.

These are unselected (wild-type) seedlings. The fruit, while it is smaller and less abundant than that of the selected Juneberry or "Saskatoon" varieties, is very attractive to wildlife. Also known as Shadblow, this native shrub, more like a small tree, is the first to adorn the Spring landscape, bursting forth with a profusion of smalll white flowers. The fruit is similar to a blueberry. Fall foliage is striking red splashed with yellow and orange. The lowbush form, Amelanchier alnifolia, grows best in the western states, whereas the highbush form, Amelanchier canadensis, is best for eastern locations. Alnifolia grows to 6-10 feet and should be spaced 3 to 4 feet apart; canadensis reaches 20-25 feet and should be planted at least 6 to 8 feet apart.

If one goes back up to the SNL link, click on that, then click where (I believe) natives is highlighted...this is where I got the information.

Terry

Wow...I read the whole thing...I live in coastal SC, and every time I call a nursery, they say, "huh"? I'd like to know if anyone has suggestions for varieties in my climate..mail order is good, I sure wish there were a nursery where I could find a larger one..or 3! And it seems they're edible...if you can beat the birds....like serviceberry pie edible?

You know, I ordered a few from St. Lawrence Nursery, but they specialize in cold climate plants. They had a lot of varieties and seemed to know a lot about the ones to plant where. I'd try a place like Pine Ridge in Arkansas though as it is closer to your climate.

Hi Lucky, Thank you for the information! I will check into that. Terryr says a person needs at least two to pollinate. Does this mean that one Allegheny Serviceberry will not flower and berry by itself? I don't have room for two in my front yard I dont think. Jane

Just when i was wondering where to order serviceberries, I came upon this marvelous string. Thanks!!! I am not too far from you Lucky P - shall I order from SLN? I'd like to have the Regent (that newyorkrita raves about) and the Prince william candensis from them. Who do you recommend? I ask this only because we are from a warmer zone and SLN is oriented to the colder areas.

My guess is that you probably could buy from a nursery further north, but not too much further south. I'm no expert though. I'd look for someone in your area. I think you could check with Pine Ridge in Arkansas.

"I" didn't say a person needs 2, the SLN website did. That is something I'd like to know also because I've heard you only need 1.

I'm wondering if it would't be better to order from someplace that is colder instead of warmer. I've had friends bring me back plants from TN. That's 2 zones warmer instead of just 1 (I'm thinking Pine Ridge AR is a zone 7). My thinking in that is that the stuff grown in a warmer climate is more acclimated to that weather. Therefore it takes longer to acclimate to a colder climate, whereas 1 grown in a colder climate would be able to acclimate more to a warmer climate. Is that backwards? I don't know. I've always heard it's better to buy something grown locally, but when you can't find it, and you want it, you have to mail order it. Like vonyon, I'm no expert by a long shot!

Terry

One other thing to consider is that this is not the best time of year to plant shrubs and trees. You would be much better off to wait until spring. The plant then has a good stretch of good weather to acclimate to your area. I planted about 200 or so shrubs (can't remember exactly) last spring and lost 1 or 2 total. I'm not entirely sure I even lost them. I would plant in spring if at all possible. From what I have heard.........dogwoods in particular have trouble if they are transplanted in the fall.

Terry: My understanding of serviceberries is that they are like apples. Two types are better than one, but not necessary. They are monoecious and will pollinate themselves unlike holly which is dioecious and needs a male and a female to produce fruit. Having said that, I believe that more than one different type will create a higher yield of berries. I think the Prince and the Princesses are of the same parentage or something (canadensis?), so that wouldn't help. As for whether the lower growing types will help the canadensis, I have no idea. I have all types here, so have no idea if one will pollinate the other. Hopefully, one of the experts will come on here and give us an opinion. If not, call SLN. They are really nice people and helped me to pick and choose the best plants for my area. I am so glad that I called them, because I would have bought the wrong thing if I had not talked to them. I think the lower-growing variety (sasketoon?) grows better in the west because of the tendencey toward a more alkaline soil. The canadensis grows better here because of the tendency toward acid soil. If you call them, they are very helpful. I would tell them that you only have room for one and which one would they recommend. The one that I bought called running serviceberry has only been here two years and was loaded with berries this year already.

The thing about SLN is that their stock is small. I believe they claim that they try to concentrate on a healthy, robust root system and that is why. I have had good luck with everything I have bought from them. I have found that native stuff seems to take a good year to concentrate growth into the roots and then it takes off in the second year. I don't know if that is just natives, but that has been my experience.

Thank you vonyon. I do have 1, just the straight species. My problem is, I can't remember where it's planted...is it the 1 I brought up from TN and was doing wonderfully, but now looks dead? Too much rain? I have very good black dirt, drains easily. Or, is it the 1 I planted out front? Or is that the elderberry? I do think the serviceberry is out front and the elderberry is the 1 out back. If it is the elderberry out back, any idea on why now it's leaves are all wilted and almost black? Before we got all this rain, it had nice green leaves. Don't get me wrong, we need the rain (we didn't need all the hail on Thurs night, good grief..golf ball and bigger size! my poor car..). It's just that now we're getting it every other day, if not every day. And I ordered perennials from Prairy Nusery that need to get planted (not to mention the garage needs painting and is/was all cleaned and powerwashed and the deck needs staining, it was striped and cleaned and on and on). I also thought apples needed 2 or more. I didn't think they were self pollinating?

Terry

Terry: Elderberries like it wet. I doubt it is the water that is killing it. Also, I believe apples are self-pollinating, but will produce more fruit with more than one kind.

SLN stock does just fine here in southern west-central KY. Best performers for me have been some row-run seedlings of Timm & Success that I got years ago from the now-defunct Bear Creek Nursery, in WA.
Serviceberries are self-fertile, and apomixis is common - seeds can develop without fertilization, yielding seedlings that are exact clones of the 'mother' plant. So...a single plant can produce fruit just fine; will yields be greater if you have more than one variety? Maybe.

I don't get too caught up in the zone difference thing, though with some plants it can be important - though in some cases, movements from west to east are more important than north/south relocations. I've moved stuff from my boyhood home in AL, two zones warmer than here, with minimal losses attributable to the colder winters. I tend to push the envelope, and have killed a bunch of stuff, but some of it survives in spite of me.

MrsPaul - there are 'Southern' juneberries - Edible Landscaping used to carry "Jennybelle", a selection of A.obovata; I've got it, but it's less impressive than A.laevis or the A.alnifolia selections in virtually every respect - appearance and fruit production. Mike Dirr has made some A.x grandifolia selections at UGa, but I don't know if they're commercially available.

Fruits on the A.x grandiflora selections I've seen(probably Autumn Brilliance in almost all instances) are quite a bit larger than those of the A.alnifolias as well as A.laevis.

Man I'm bad sometimes at checking back! O.k. vonyon, if it wasn't the water, what was it? I only have 1 immediate neighbor...live on a corner lot, with alley behind me. I know the neighbors never use herbicides or pesticides, nothing in their yard, nothing in mine. There are many plants near this, so if it was over spray , it would have affected more than just my elderberry, wouldn't it? I'm just so bummed that it died....I will wait till next spring to see if I get lucky and get some new growth, but man. What a bummer!

Terry

Terry: I'm sorry to hear this. I am far from am expert. I just know that elderberries were recommended for a wet area and that is where I put them. In one year from roots with crowns, my elderberries are about 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide. They are also covered with berries. So, that is why I'm saying that I doubt it is too wet. I just started in this game a year or two ago. I have had good luck getting advice here, but this forum doesn't seem to be attracting the same posters that it used to attact. Maybe you should post this on the shrubs forum.

vonyon: I've heard the same thing. That they adapt really, to any type soil. I've got it in mostly shade, so it retains some moisture, but isn't "wet". I don't think I did it any favors by planting it, digging it up, bringing it to IL, replanting it, digging it up and then finally replanting it...lol..did you get all that? I'm not new to gardening, but like you in the length of plants for wildlife. I think I will post it on the shrub forum and see what I get.

Terry

Some of the serviceberries are getting ready to bloom. The Regents, as usuall, are going to be COVERED in blossoms. Hopeing for flowers on the Northern Juneberry types that I got from Oikos but I forgot to check them yesterday and today it is sleeting so I am not going out there to look.

I have to move a row of Regents because I am putting in more blueberies for myself this spring so I have to get to that ASAP.

Some things are greening up...mostly my iris, but no shrubs, trees, doing anything. Just look like a bunch of sticks. I'm anxious to see if my elderberry comes back, or if I lost it. I've been invited to somebodies house not too far away that has a bunch. So, they'll get replaced one way or another.

Good to have you back Rita!

Terry

All my Serviceberries are in bloom and it looks lovely!! The Regent Serviceberries are going to be LOADED with fruit as usual as the shrubs just keep getting more mature.

Hurray!! I have flowers on 5 of my Amelanchier gaspensis (Northern Juneberries) serviceberries. This is the first year they have flowered since I put them in. So I am going to be looking forward to tasting their fruit and compairing it to my others!

I moved a row of smaller Regent Serviceberry plants and put in 12 more Blueberry plants today, I am poofed! When the blueberries start to ripen up, the birds will leave even the serviceberries to eat the blueberries.

I also have flowers for the first time on my dwarf beach plums, they are going to be loaded but the flowers are not open yet.

Some of my conservation grade alnifolia(presently 2ft tall), that I bought from lawyer nursery last year, have flowered and have fruit developing.
Hopefully, I will be able to eat some when they are ripe. Sometimes the birds get over anxious.

The Serviceberries go from Green to red then deep puple when they are ripe. The birds start inspecting the berries when they start turning red and eat them red before they are ripe. The only reason I get to eat Serviceberries before the critters finish them off is because I have so many serviceberry shrubs that fruit so heavily that the birds don't get to eat them all unripe.

My serviceberry planted last year and just a couple of sticks really, bloomed this spring for the first time. I was so anxious to see if I'd get berries also....but then, I think a squirrel, came along and broke off the part where the blooms had been. I'm hoping perhaps it puts a ton of energy into growing this.......

Terry

P.S. I went to the above mentioned persons house and he had dug me a huge elderberry! So huge in fact, he wrapped burlap around the rootball. My other one was dead dead dead.

I can't believe I hardly knew what a servicebery was before 2002. The Regent Serviceberries I planted way back then have grown and filled in like crazy. They fruit like mad. The ones I planted in a row have sorta grown together so that it looks like a hedge.

The Amelanchier gaspensis (Northern Juneberries) serviceberries have grown and are mostly taller than the Regent Serviceberries. I know they weren't supposed to get that tall. Anyway they all have heavy fruit set this spring.

I really get less fruit set on the other types of serviceberries i planted and if I had to do it over would not have gotten them. Still, all the serviceberry shrubs thrive here.

I've been reading this one topic a lot and visiting the different nurseries online. I love edible landscaping, especially fruits and berries. I have Washington Hawthorns, Elderberries (Adams/Johns), 3 grapevines, 4 dwarf cherry trees, a mulberry tree (Morus alba), strawberries, blackberries, amber raspberries, coralberries, and blueberries mixed in with perennial flowers in my urban yard.

When I stop reading the topics long enough to figure out how to post pictures, I will post some berry pics as I have two different berries that I didn't plant and need an ID. I've been looking high and low on the internet, but can't figure out what they are on my own. Both of the unknown berries were in my yard before I started planting stuff, so I know it isn't stuff I've purchased or piggybacked in with stuff I purchased. I also don't see them elsewhere in my neighborhood and the hubby worries they might be poisonous - I'm tempted to taste them every year.

I planted the hawthorns for the songbirds to eat. I think I have about 25 planted and thriving since last spring. I'm hoping the birds will eat those and the coralberries more and leave me with enough of the other fruits that I end up with stomach aches from eating too much. Next year, along with doubling the amount of grape vines, I'll probably plant 5 more blackberries (3 different varieties tbd this winter.) I will also plant at least 2 varieties of red raspberries.

If you haven't noticed, I like plants with thorns. I used the Hawthorns to create a hedge on the north and south sides of my front yard. But I will move them all to the north side and put a blackberry hedge on the south side. I have to do this to keep the mailman, neighbors and felines out of my yard - I have to protect my flowers also. I want my yard to be a sanctuary for the birds, but cats keep visiting and stalking the poor birds because I have several neighbors that let their cats roam the neighborhood as they please. After my thorny plants started growing, my yard hasn't been the neighborhood litter box it once was. (I just hope I don't accidently sit on my thorny babies like I did many years ago on a rose bush because I literally could not sit for weeks!) I also haven't had to worry about my indoor-only cat being worked into a frenzy from the cats taunting her at the windows.

Anyhow, I realize now that there are many many serviceberries but I can't find good photos of them. I've found a lot of information, some drawings, and a few photos that looked like wilted flowers. I also haven't seen any mention of thorns - do any serviceberry plants have thorns? Where can I find clear photos of a few different types alongside good descriptions? (I'm planting thornless fruit away from the property borders.) I still need plants for my edible hedge along the front/west side of my front yard - hopefully thorny and growing at least 4' -6' high. Otherwise, I'll continue to use the Washington Hawthorns for a hedge but add 2 Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus 'Aphrodite') bushes for the butterflies on each side of the front gate. After all that, I still have a couple spots left for either serviceberry, or maybe currants. A few photos of the serviceberry growing in your gardens would help me choose.

I live in the south-in Ga. and would like to know which types of serviceberry trees grow well here as well as suppliers in the south that would carry them?

Below is a site that has pictures of a few of the species. In general I find the UConn site very useful and accurate.

Here is a search page you can enter Amelanchier on and get back a few additional species. ellix, you can add in your zone there as well. If you can find something native to your area, that might be an indication of something that would do well. For suppliers, if nobody else answers, you can try gardenwatchdog.com, go to the search by category and specify "plants: wildflower and natives". From there you can filter by state.

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Search.asp

Another thing that has worked out very well here as far as the serviceberries go is that the Amelanchier gaspensis (Northern Juneberries) serviceberries fruit and ripen after the Regent serviceberries. This extends the fruit season for all the fruit eating birds here and there sure are a lot of them.

What a difference in the amount of bird traffic in my yard since I put in all these shrubs for fruit and cover. Birds love it here now.

Thanks for the info. I want to put in 3-4 of these treees and can't wait.

OK..another 5 years have past,..still no regrets by putting them in, Rita?