Native Plant Profile: Serviceberry
When spring approaches, one of the first vivid colors to pierce our sleepy winter eyes is often the stark magenta of Eastern Redbud. One may be forgiven, then, in overlooking the explosion of white blooms that appear at the same time, though they signal the awakening of a similarly important species: the versatile serviceberry!
Common Serviceberry during the early ripening process, by Bill Harms via Maryland Biodiversity Project
An Amelanchier by any other name
Serviceberry is a member of the Rose family (Rosaceae), along with many fruits such as plums, almonds, raspberries, strawberries, and peaches, although serviceberry is more closely related to apples. Rosaceae is a relatively large plant family, containing close to five thousand known species, many of which are present in our everyday lives.
True to the family it belongs to, serviceberry is an adaptable group of plants. In fact, serviceberry comes in as many (or even more) names as it does species! The common name “serviceberry” actually refers to an entire genus of plants, nearly all of which belong to the Americas. In Maryland alone, there are eight species, and there are 20-some species total throughout the world. Most species are native to North America, with only three occurring naturally on other continents!
Other names for the various species in the genus include shadbush, juneberry, saskatoon, junebush, shadwood, sugarplum, and sarvis, among other derivations. The name of the plant may be for any of many reasons; ‘shadbush’ may come from the fact that the plant is in bloom during shad migration in the spring, and ‘juneberry’ for the fact that berries are common in June. Rumors say the name “service-berry” may come from their blooming coinciding with the time of year in which roads were passable so families could resume traveling for religious services.
Common Serviceberry by Janice Browne via Maryland Biodiversity Project
The name may be much older than this legend, however. When Europeans colonized North America, they were already familiar with “service-tree” (Cormus domestica), another member of the Rosaceae family. English sources refer to its uses as a medicinal plant as far back as 1597. Much like the serviceberry later would bear innumerable names, the word “sorbus” is associated both with this species as well as many, many other members of the Rosaceae family,
When Europeans colonized North America, it is no wonder that they would see the resemblance to any one of many distantly-related fruits that were already familiar to them, and may have applied the name “sorbus.” The Latin word “sorbus” has been long associated with many related members of the Rose family, going back as far as ancient Greece. This name may have even come far later, as early settlers are found to have compared the fruit to stone-fruits, yet another group within the Rose family. Other common names such as “wild plum” and “wild pear” could easily have been amongst the first names European settlers had for the Amelanchier species.
Native American tribes had long used the serviceberry in a wide variety of foods, including jams, wines, pies, and ciders. In fact, the name of the city of Saskatoon comes from the Cree word misâskwatômina, for the serviceberry fruit.
Take time to smell the serviceberry
Most species of serviceberry begin to gain foliage early in the season, with historic accounts mostly indicating April to be reliable and late March at the earliest, roughly at the same time as redbud trees. The flowers of serviceberry may look familiar; as they are members of Rosaceae, serviceberry trees and bushes have blooms that resemble apples, pears, or even cherries.
Canadian Serviceberry (flower cluster) by Jane Hill via Maryland Biodiversity Project
Fruit is generally ready in June through August when the berries are a deep purple color, and their taste is often compared to that of a blueberry.
The most common species of serviceberry in Maryland are the common serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea, also called downy serviceberry), Canadian serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis), and the Allegheny serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis). Common names like shadbush and juneberry are often used interchangeably among the different species of serviceberry.
That said, it is not at all unusual to find a serviceberry hybrid occurring naturally. The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that “many individuals within Amelanchier arise through hybridization and species boundaries are often not clear.” It is perhaps this adaptability that lends itself to the many, many variations of the serviceberry that occur across North America.
In your garden, at your service!
Serviceberry generally resides comfortably as a shrub, but in the right conditions may grow to tree proportions, reaching heights of 15-20 feet. It’s able to tolerate a variety of soil types, and may be found in soils of varying moisture levels. Serviceberry is relatively drought tolerant, and host to many species of butterflies and moths, including tiger swallowtails and striped hairstreaks. More unusual-looking species that call some of the main species home during their larval stages include the white-spotted prominent moth and monkey slug moth.
The serviceberry provides fruit to native wildlife throughout the year, being one of the early flowers to bloom and provide pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies, and fruits produced starting in June may last through late summer depending on the availability of other native plants. The fruits are known to be eaten by at least 40 bird species (including the Baltimore oriole) and several dozen mammals species, including chipmunks, foxes, and even bears. Gardeners may be relieved to find that the serviceberry is not of significant interest to deer, another mark in its favor as a native garden plant.
Amelanchier sp berries by Simon Pierre Barrette via wikimedia commons (license: CC-BY SA 4.0)
Besides the benefits to wildlife, the serviceberry also acts as a harmonious member of a garden chorus, or as a lovely focal point. After the initial riotous burst of white blooms in the spring, and the vivid red berries turning to purple in the summer, the tree closes the third act of their year with an explosion of orange and red fall foliage. The lifespan of a serviceberry may last up to 50 years, making it a durable member of any garden community.
Amelanchier lamarckii, showing its autumn coloration by Agnieszka Kwiecień via wikimedia commons (license: CC-BY SA 4.0)
So as we look forward to the first blush of spring, consider adding the serviceberry to your list of favorite plants. And if its myriad services are not for you, then see some of our resources below to find a native plant to add to your home garden.
For more information about serviceberries and landscaping with native plants:
Maryland’s Wild Acres: Creating Backyard Habitat
Serviceberry: An Early-Flowering Maryland Native Tree
Visit the DNR Nursery to find native Maryland plants for your garden or yard
Less Common Fruits for a Home Garden
Article by Katy Gorsuch, Natural Resources Biologist with the Wildlife and Heritage Service.
