Simcoe County Master Gardeners
Grow Natives!
PLANT PROFILE
COMMON NAME: Serviceberry
BINOMIAL: Amelanchier canadensis (also A. arborea, laevis, sanguinea)
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Cdn Native Range | Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI |
| Natural habitat | open areas, edges of treed areas |
| Type | woody deciduous shrub |
| Features | fragrant flowers, edible berries, fall colour |
| Growth habit | upright, multi-stemmed shrub or can be pruned to tree shape, ornamental |
| Mature height | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Mature spread | 4.5 m (15 ft) |
| Life span | 30–40 years |
| Cdn Hardiness Zone | 4–7 |
| Growing conditions | full sun/part sun |
| Soil conditions | tolerates a range of soils, prefers well-draining |
| Watering needs | supplementary watering not necessary after established; can tolerate drought |
| Fertilizer needs | no supplemental fertilizer needed |
| Tolerance | drought, most soils including clay |
| Maintenance rank | low |
| Maintenance needs | early spring pruning to shape |
| Bloom | showy white, fragrant spring blooms |
| Fruit | edible; self-fertilizing but has better fruit production with two plants |
| Pollinator support | nectar and pollen attracts early bees, flies, and beetles; larval host for striped hairstreak and white admiral/red-spotted purple butterflies as well as dozens of moth species |
| Environmental support | food source for small mammals and for at least 40 species of birds including cedar wax wings; hollow stems provide habitat for nesting bees |
| Garden Use | back of flower bed/border, accent |
| Risks & Cautions | no serious diseases or pests; may have sawfly larva; rust or in rare cases fire blight |
References: Ontario Trees and Shrubs, www.ontariotrees.com; In Our Nature, https://inournature.ca; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfindersearch.aspx
