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Serviceberry

Amelanchier lamarckii

Ornamental treeDeciduousFrost HardyToxic

Amelanchier lamarckii is a large deciduous shrub or small multi-stemmed tree with white star-shaped flowers in spring, bronze young leaves and orange-red autumn colour. Its small purple-black berries ripen in early summer, are edible and are popular with birds.

Overview

Height4.5–8 m
Crown diameter4.5–8 m
Root systemShallow-rooted
ShadeMedium shade
SunFull Sun
WaterMedium
HardinessUSDA zones 4–8

Seasons

Flowering (Central Europe)Apr, May
Harvest (Central Europe)Jun, Jul

Planting time for bare-root trees. Container trees can be planted whenever the soil is workable.

Companion Planting

Good Companions

None

Bad Companions

None

Shared disease: fire blight

Other hosts in the database: Apple, Pear, Quince, Rowan, Crabapple. An infected tree can pass the disease on to them.

Only relations with a documented cause are listed.

Toxicity

SeverityMildly toxic
Toxic toHumans

The berries are edible, but the seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides (amygdalin, prunasin); because these are confined to the seeds, absorption from eating the fruit is slow. RHS rates the plant as potentially harmful.

Planting Tips

LocationFull sun for best flowering, fruiting and autumn colour; tolerates partial shade, wind and urban air pollution.
SoilHumus-rich, moist but well-drained, lime-free (acid to neutral) soil; tolerates clay, loam and sand.
WateringWater thoroughly during dry spells for the first two years; keep the shallow root zone evenly moist in prolonged drought.
FertilizingGenerally not required on fertile soil; mulch with organic matter to retain moisture.

Care Tip: Little pruning needed; for a tree form remove root suckers. Occasionally affected by fire blight and powdery mildew; cut out blighted shoots.

Sources