Amelanchier

The various species of Amelanchier grow to 0.2-20 metres (1⁄2, 65+1⁄2 feet) tall; some are small trees, some are multistemmed, clump-forming shrubs, and yet others form extensive low shrubby patches (clones). The bark is gray or less often brown, and in tree species smooth or fissuring when older. The leaves are deciduous, cauline, alternate, simple, lanceolate to elliptic to orbiculate, 0.5-10 by 0.5-5.5 centimetres (1⁄4, 4 by 1⁄4, 2+1⁄4 inches), thin to coriaceous, with surfaces above glabrous or densely tomentose at flowering, and glabrous or more or less hairy beneath at maturity.

The inflorescences are terminal, with 1-20 flowers, erect or drooping, either in clusters of one to four flowers, or in racemes with 4-20 flowers. The flowers have five white (rarely somewhat pink, yellow, or streaked with red), linear to orbiculate petals, 2.6-25 millimetres (1⁄8, 1 in) long, with the petals in one species (A. nantucketensis) often andropetalous (bearing apical microsporangia adaxially). The flowers bloom in late spring. The fruit is a berrylike pome, red to purple to nearly black at maturity, 5-15 mm (1⁄4, 5⁄8 in) in diameter, insipid to delectably sweet, maturing in summer.

Saskatoons can live up to 50 years.

The taxonomic classification of shadbushes has long perplexed botanists, horticulturalists, and others, as suggested by the range in number of species recognized in the genus, from 6 to 33, in two recent publications. A major source of complexity comes from the occurrence of hybridization, polyploidy, and apomixis (asexual seed production), making species difficult to characterize and identify.

Species

There are around 24 species accepted by the Plants of the World Online as of April 2023.

Natural hybrids

• Amelanchier × lamarckii F.G.Schroed. ( A. arborea × A. laevis.), Juneberry
• Amelanchier × neglecta Eggl. ex K.R.Cushman, M.B.Burgess, E.T.Doucette & C.S.Campb. (A. bartramiana × A. laevis.)
• Amelanchier × quinti-martii Louis-Marie (A. arborea × A. bartramiana. )
• Amelanchier × spicata (Lam.) K.Koch (A. alnifolia × A. humilis.) - low juneberry

Garden hybrids

Since classifications have varied greatly over the past century, species names are often used interchangeably in the nursery trade. Several natural or horticultural hybrids also exist, and many A. arborea and A. canadensis plants that are offered for sale are actually hybrids, or entirely different species. A. × grandiflora is another hybrid of garden origin, between A. arborea and A. laevis. The cultivar 'La Paloma' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

A taxon called Amelanchier lamarckii (or A. x lamarckii) is very widely cultivated and naturalized in Europe, where it was introduced in the 17th century. It is apomictic, breeding true from seed, and probably of hybrid origin, perhaps descending from a cross between A. laevis and either A. arborea or A. canadensis. While A. lamarckii is known to be of North American origin, probably from eastern Canada, it is not known to occur naturally in the wild in North America.

Etymology

The generic name Amelanchier is a transcription of the French word amélanchier, borrowed from amalenquièr, amelanchièr, the Provençal names of the European Amelanchier ovalis.

The French name for the fruit, amélanche, is borrowed from the Occitan noun amelenco, itself form a Gaulish noun *aballinca (from Gaulish aballo « apple » and the suffix -inca), with phonetic attraction to the Latin malum « apple ». The suffix may derive from the Latin -inqua or its Ligurian equivalent -inca.

The name serviceberry comes from the similarity of the fruit to the related European Sorbus. Juneberry refers to the fruits of certain species becoming ripe in June. The name saskatoon originated from a Cree noun misâskwatômina (misāskwatōmina, misaaskwatoomina) for Amelanchier alnifolia.

Shadberry refers to the shad runs in certain New England streams, which took place around June, when the trees fruit.

Amelanchier is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, growing primarily in early successional habitats. It is most diverse taxonomically in North America, especially in southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States.

The plants are hardy down to −60 °C (−76 °F).

Amelanchier plants are preferred browse for deer and rabbits, and heavy browsing pressure can suppress natural regeneration. Caterpillars of such Lepidoptera as the brimstone moth, brown-tail, grey dagger, mottled umber, rough prominent, satellite, winter moth, red-spotted purple and white admiral (both Limenitis arthemis), as well as various other herbivorous insects feed on Amelanchier. Many insects and diseases that attack orchard trees also affect this genus, in particular trunk borers and Gymnosporangium rust. In years when late flowers of Amelanchier overlap those of wild roses and brambles, bees may spread bacterial fireblight.

Selections from A. alnifolia have been chosen for fruit production, with several named cultivars. Other cultivars appear to be derived from hybridization between A. alnifolia and A. stolonifera. Propagation is by seed, divisions, and grafting. Serviceberries graft so readily that grafts onto other genera, such as Crataegus and Sorbus, are often successful.

Several species are very popular ornamental shrubs, grown for their flowers, bark, and fall color. All need similar conditions to grow well, requiring good drainage, air circulation (to discourage leaf diseases), watering during drought, and soil appropriate for the species.

The fruit of several species is safe to eat raw, possessing a mild sweetness strongly accented by the almond-like flavour of the seeds. The fruit was harvested for food by the Aboriginal people and early settlers of western Canada.

The fruit can be harvested for pies, muffins, jams, and wine. The saskatoon berry is harvested commercially. One version of the Native American food pemmican was flavored by serviceberry fruits in combination with minced dried meat and fat.

The wood is brown, hard, close-grained, and heavy. The heartwood is reddish-brown, and the sapwood is lighter in color. It can be used for tool handles and fishing rods. Native Americans used it for arrow shafts. Members of the Pit River Tribe would use the wood to create a sort of body armor, crafting it into a heavy robe or overcoat and corset armor worn during fighting.

George Washington planted specimens of Amelanchier on the grounds of his estate, Mount Vernon, in Virginia.

The Canadian city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is named after this plant.