Smooth Serviceberry
Serviceberries produce fragrant white-cream flowers in April/May which attracts bees and butterflies. They’ll bloom more in full sun.
Amelanchier laevis aka Smooth Serviceberry, Allegheny Serviceberry and Smooth Juneberry is deer resistant and salt tolerant. Attracts many birds, wildlife and pollinators. Drought tolerant once established but will grow faster and taller in moist soils as it is found in moist woods and meadows, but tolerates almost any garden situation.
Smooth Serviceberry Characteristics
Leaves: Medium-dark green leaves at maturity but purple-bronze when young. Orange, yellow, red fall colour as the leaves prepare to drop.
Stem/Bark: Reddish brown first year and then turns to gray-brown.
Flower: Fragrant white-cream flowers in April/May attracts bees and butterflies. Will bloom more in full sun.
Fruit/Nut: Fruit are red turning purple-black in June. Sweet, edible and attract wildlife.
Habit: Upright multi-stemmed deciduous shrub.
Hardiness: Zone 4
Height: 15’ – 30’
Width: 10’ – 15’
Why grow native plants?
A native plant is defined as a species of fauna that was already established before colonization. There are numerous benefits to the use of native plants. Native plants have grown and evolved in a given area for generations and therefore are more prepared to face the elements. As a result they are much hardier and less finicky to care for. The wildlife in the area has also evolved along side these plants, and because of this has formed bonds with them. Most butterflies have a specific plant species from which they collect nectar for their offspring.
There are many birds that will feed directly from local trees for seed, nectar or fruit, but won’t use the bird feeder you’ve bought to attract them. These plants also work together to grow as natural plant communities. Most of the trees won’t grow their leaves until after the wildflowers have had an adequate amount of time to flower before they’re covered by shade. Finally, of course, there is the fact that all of these plants and animals combine to make a sustainable, complete, functioning ecosystem. Why fight thousands of years of evolution?
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