Amelanchier interior

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a sweet taste and juicy texture, even before fully ripe. Fruit is produced in small clusters and grows up to 8mm in diameter. It is rich in iron and copper. This species has been observed fruiting well at Kew, where the fruit ripened about 3 weeks later than most other species in the genus.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant.

North America, USA,

How to Identify

Deciduous tree reaching 9m tall. Hardy to UK zone 6. Hermaphrodite and self-fertile, pollinated by bees. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils in mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline pH. Grows in semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil.

How to Grow

We have very little information on this species. We do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though it is growing and fruiting well at Kew Gardens in London and judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in most parts of the country. This species is not stoloniferous. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a rich loamy soil in a sunny position or semi-shade but thrives in any soil that is not too dry or water-logged. Grows well in heavy clay soils. All members of this genus have edible fruits and, whilst this is dry and uninteresting in some species, in many others it is sweet and juicy. Many of the species have potential for use in the garden as edible ornamentals. The main draw-back to this genus is that birds adore the fruit and will often completely strip a tree before it is fully ripe. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Grafting onto seedlings of A. lamarckii or Sorbus aucuparia is sometimes practised in order to avoid the potential problem of hybridizing.

Propagation: Seed is best harvested green — when fully formed but before the seed coat has hardened — and sown immediately in pots outdoors or in a cold frame. Stored seed obtained early enough in autumn can be given 4 weeks of warm stratification before being left out over winter, and should germinate in spring. Otherwise seed can be very slow to germinate, taking 18 months or more. When seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow on in a sheltered outdoor position, planting out once they reach 20cm or more. Where seed is plentiful, sow thinly in an outdoor seedbed and grow on for two years before planting out into permanent positions during winter. Layering in spring takes 18 months. Suckers can be divided in late winter, but must have been growing for 2 years to have formed roots. They can be planted straight into permanent positions if needed.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

None known

Amelanchier interior or Wiegand's shadbush is type of serviceberry shrub. It produces a sweet tasting edible fruit called a pome, which can be eaten raw or cooked. The fruit has a sweet flavor. This species is a deciduous tree. It grows on hillsides and banks of streams and reaches up to nine meters. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. It can grow in acid, neutral and alkaline soils, as well as shade or semi-shade. It requires moist soil.

Notes

There are about 25-30 Amelanchier species. Possibly a natural hybrid involving A. laevis, A. arborea, and A. spicata, or A. sanguinea

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