June Berry or Service Berry

[lavender]

Littlebit was asking about plants for growing in clay soil. The best thing to do, rather than trying to change the soil, is to plant natives that thrive in local conditions. Right now we have a quietly spectacular native tree in bloom. It has a number of common names, june berry, sarvis, service berry, shad blow, shad bush and probably a number of others. It's taxonomic name is  Amelanchier aborea. 

This is the white blossomed tree that you are now seeing in bloom along wooded roads. I saw dozens of them on my way home today. It is the earliest blooming tree in the area and is very easy to grow. Later it will produce a berry like fruit that resembles the blueberry in appearance and can be used in any way that you would use blueberries. They make a spectacular pie if you can beat the birds to them. I like to enhance the slightly almond flavor of the berries with a little bit of almond extract when I make pies of them. 

I wrote an article on them last year when they were about the only blossoms that survived that late freeze. It is here if anyone is interested:

 

http://downtoearthgardenclub.org/2012/05/serviceberry-amelanchier-arborea/

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TD]

Thanks so much for sharing this. I can smell the pie!

[lavender]

Run fast before the birds get the berries! I haven't beat them to it in several years, same with the hazel nuts and the squirrels. 

[Petee]

This is a good tree to plant in your yard.  It's a very nice landscape tree in all seasons.  Then you can check it daily for ripe fruit. If you find a small one (2-3 feet) in the summer then mark it with a plastic ribbon.  Go back in the fall once the leaves have dropped and transplant it.  In the spring it won't even know it was moved and will grow fine.  You won't even have to water it the first year unless you transplant one in the spring.  Just make sure you check with the property owner before digging, and don't dig on state owned land.

 

Otherwise they are more available in tree nurseries each year. 

[Petee]

Great pictures and information:  http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Juneberries.html