I don't think it is the horticulture industry that is 'creating' all the confusing Amelanchiers. I think the multiple names attached to similar plant types reflects the confusing taxonomy of these species, which is made more confusing by the natural hybrids that occur. For what it's worth, I think canadensis is a 'real' species, as opposed to horticultural hybrids like grandiflora (which is very nice, by the way). But I don't think the taxonomy of Amelanchiers, especially of the laevis/arborea/canadensis type, is really relevant to the original question. Althoug there are some species that are definitely shrubby (like stolonifera), any of the above listed 'species' can be either tree-like or shrub-like, depending on local conditions and how they are managed.

Hi, Last year, I discovered a hedge-row of juneberries that were around 7' tall x 4' wide and featured small, blueish berries that were exceedingly sweet; they consisted of a rush of thin branches. They tasted nothing like the Amelanchier canadensis, A. x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance, or the wild A. laevis (I think) I am familiar with. I have a feeling that these would be A. stolonifera (running serviceberry). I have heard it said that A. alnifolia (Saskatoon serviceberry) will not do well in the Northeast (New Jersey), except for perhaps the cultivar 'Regent'. Is anyone particularly familiar with A. alnifolia and A. stolonifera. I'm looking to see if I can plant a number of A. stolonifera seedlings instead of A. alnifolia and get as good a flavor; I've heard that A. alnifolia is the best serviceberry - yet others say A. laevis or A. x grandiflora tend to produce the best flavor. Thanks, Steve

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.

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.