![]() ![]() Serviceberry is adaptable to a variety of soils and moisture conditions and is hardy from USDA Zone 4 through 9.ĭue to its adaptability, downy serviceberry offers many uses in the landscape. However, it is also quite amenable to open, sunny sites in cultivated landscapes. In the wild, downy serviceberry is often found in the understory of the forest or at the edge of the woods in partially shaded conditions. ![]() Even in winter, this tree decorates the landscape with its artistic branching pattern and its smooth gray bark, which is highlighted with vertical, silvery streaks. These fruits were also appreciated by Native Americans and early settlers.ĭowny serviceberry is also much appreciated for its fall foliage, which ranges from yellow-gold to orange-red. The sweet, fleshy fruits, which are about 1/3 inch in diameter, ripen from red to purple in early summer and are a favored food of many birds and mammals. They develop into bright green leaves that are 2 to 4 inches long and are a primary larval food source for several butterfly species. The simple, elliptical, finely serrated leaves unfold with a downy fuzz on their undersurface, giving them a silvery appearance. Though the blooms are at their peak for only a short time, they effectively usher in spring and then yield the show to the unfurling foliage. Butterflies and bees appreciate this bounty of nectar so early in the season. The inch-wide, five-petaled flowers are borne in elegant, loose clusters from the tips of the tree’s twigs. The white flowers appear before the leaves emerge, making the blossoms’ impact all the more dramatic. The Georgia Native Plant Society is pleased to announce that downy serviceberry ( Amelanchier arborea) has been selected as the organization’s 2005 Plant of the Year.ĭowny serviceberry is one of the earliest native trees to bloom in early spring. ![]()
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