Habitat

• native to Maine and down through the Carolinas
• zone 3
• naturally occurs in wet sites, bogs, and swamps

Habit and Form

• deciduous large shrub or small tree
• usually pruned up like tree to view bark
• multi-stemmed
• 6' to 20' tall
• suckers at base
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• alternate leaf arrangement
• oblong leaf shape
• 1.5" to 2.5" long and up to 1" wide
• rounded leaf base
• serrulate leaf margins
• wooly to glabrous leaf surface
• dark green leaf color

Autumn Foliage

• gold fall color
• leaves fall quickly and early

Flowers

• white flowers
• flowers held in erect racemes
• racemes are 2" to 3" long
• blooms late March
• petals are obovate

Fruit

• red changing to black fruit
• sweet, edible fruit

Bark

• gray-silver bark
• striped
• glabrous, young stems
• small lenticels
• imbricate buds, conical in shape
• buds are reddish purple

Culture

• full sun
• prefers wet sites
• generally pruned up to form small tree
• transplants easily

Landscape Uses

• for bark effect
• specimen planting
• small grouping
• flower effect

Liabilities

• rusts, scales, aphids and mildews

ID Features

• silver-gray striped bark
• white flowers held in long racemes
• black, edible fruit
• alternate leaf arrangement
• reddish purple, conical buds

Propagation

• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

'Glennform' (Rainbow Pillar®) - A shrubby form with pronounced upright, narrow habit to 20' tall. This habit suggests its use in hedging and screening.

'Prince William' - Perhaps a hybrid with A. laevis. A multi-stemmed, shrubby form probably not exceeding 10' which is known for good fruit set and consistent multi-colored fall leaves.

'Sprizam' (Spring Glory®) - A new variety, notable for its compact, upright habit reaching only 12' tall and 8'-10' wide. Fall color is orange/yellow.

'Trazam' (Tradition®) - Another new selection, this form is useful because it maintains a central leader and may be employed where a small tree is required. Mature height is 25'-30' tall, and the plant has good early bloom and fall color. May be a hybrid or selection of another Amelanchier species.