About
Aronia melanocarpa, commonly known as black chokeberry, is a compact, deciduous shrub that features bushy, spreading growth. Its leaves are glossy and dark green with finely serrated edges, transitioning to red hues in the fall. In late spring and early summer, the plant produces small clusters of white flowers, typically comprising five to six blooms, which are succeeded by glossy black berries.
About the genus
Aronia are deciduous shrubs featuring simple leaves that display vibrant colors in the fall. They produce clusters of small, white flowers reminiscent of hawthorn blooms, which give way to berries in black, red, or purple hues. While these berries are edible, they possess a strong astringency when consumed raw and may draw the attention of birds.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H6
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs, Fruit Edible
- Habit
- Bushy, Suckering
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Spread
- 2.5-4 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- Eastern N America
- Toxicity
- The berries are edible, but bitter raw, and this tree is usually grown as an ornamental plant rather than to provide a crop of fruit in the UK
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in any moist but well-drained soil (except shallow soil over chalk) in sun or partial shade
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1 or Pruning group 2
- Propagation
- Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer, or propagate from suckers when plants are dormant
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free