Beloved by birds, downy serviceberries are native from Maine west to Iowa and south to North Florida and Louisiania. And good news — they do well in urban areas.
Click here for photos of the serviceberry flowering.
Details
- Fabulous fall color (evidenced in the photo here) and bark.
- White blooms appear in spring, fruit in June.
- Usually 15-25′ tall, though it’s been known to grow to 40′.
- Hardy in Zones 4-9.
- Can take full sun or partial shade.
- Grows best in moist spots.
Care
- Academic websites reveal the serviceberry’s vulnerability to: deer, rabbitts, rust, scale, aphids and mildew — whew! Despite all the warnings, the ones in my neighborhood are managing to thrive. Is this typical? Let’s hear from other gardeners.
- Its listed preference for wet soils serves to warn the gardener that serviceberries need supplemental watering during periods of drought (at least), especially in full sun.
by the best-known authority on the subject.
is another good one.