Dig into Plants: Serviceberry

Serviceberry

Other Common Names: Common Serviceberry, Downy Serviceberry, Shadbush, Juneberry, Junebush

Scientific Name: Amelanchier arborea

Native to Alabama: Yes

Serviceberry
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Julie Makin

Learn More About...

Basic Plant Information

Serviceberry
flickr – pverdonk

I am a vascular plant with a woody trunk supporting woody branches, so I am a tree.
I do not keep leaves year-round, so I am deciduous.
I renew my growth each spring for many seasons, so I am perennial.
I can grow 15 – 30 feet high and 15 – 25 feet wide.

Ecological Benefits

This plant provides food for:

Butterflies

Other Pollinators

Other Birds

Native Bees

Small Mammals

Other Plants Found in Alabama with Similar Ecological Benefits:

Canadian Serviceberry
(Amelanchier canadensis)

Allegheny Serviceberry
(Amelanchier laevis)

Coastal Serviceberry
(Amelanchier obovalis)

Running Serviceberry
(Amelanchier stolonifera)

Maintenance Notes

Dormant in winter.
Typically grows as a multi-stemmed shrub or tree but pruning after flowering can promote a more tree-like growth pattern.
Can spread by root suckers (sprouts from the roots around the base of the tree) if they are not removed.
When watering, hold hose to base of plant for a count of 5 seconds. Water should reach all roots.
Avoid sprinkling water on the leaves.

Until established, water two times per week during the summer and once per week during the rest of the year.

Habitat Requirements

This plant prefers:

Full Sun
(6+ hours of sun per day)

Part Sun/Shade
(2-6 hours of sun per day)

Average Watering

Well-drained, Sandy, Loamy, Clay, Acidic, or Moist soil

Leaf, Flower & Seed Identification

Serviceberry Leaves
Wikimedia – Dcrjsr

LEAF DESCRIPTION

Up to 4 inches long and 2 inches wide; pointed at the tip and finely toothed along the edges; new leaves are covered in soft hairs which disappear as the leave matures; turn bright orange or red in the fall.

Leaf Characteristics Chart (PDF)


Shape: Ovate	Margin: Serrate

Arrangement: Alternate	Form: Simple

Serviceberry Flowers
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Stefan Bloodworth

FLOWER DESCRIPTION

5 white, strap-like petals per flower; sometimes tinted with pink; slightly fragrant; occur in clusters at branch tips before leaves develop.

Flower Shape Chart (JPG)


Color: White	Shape: Stellate (star-shaped)	Bloom Months: Apr – May

Serviceberry Fruit – Dreamstime

SEED DESCRIPTION

Plant spreads by:
Seeds and root suckers


Type: Fruit – Pome	Description: Reddish purple; round; resemble blueberries; darker purplish when mature; edible and have a sweet taste	Months in Seed: Summer

Serviceberry Bark
flickr – Kerry Woods

BARK DESCRIPTION

When tree is young, bark is smooth with vertical fissures; as tree matures, bark develops scales.


Color: Gray with a reddish hue	Texture: Smooth; streaked with tall fissures or furrows

Plant Life Cycle

Plant Life Cycle:

All plants start life as a seed. Seeds contain the new plant (embryo) and the nutrients inside of a protective coat. They must be dispersed (moved to a new location)
Once a seeed lands in a suitable environment, it will begin to grow to form the cotyledon or sprout. Small roots will begin growing into the soil, and a small leaf is developed.
The sprout becomes a seedling, developing a stem and leaves above ground.
As the seedling continues to grow, it will develop into a mature adult plant.
Mature adult plants are able to produce flowers that can be pollinated. The pollination process leads to the formation of new seeds, and the process continues.

General Plant Life Cycle – Dreamstime

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Quick Fact Sheet
(Condensed Species Info)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Ready as-is PDF

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Ready as-is PDF

QR Code
(Links to this Webpage)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Editable Word Doc

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Editable Word Doc

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