Aronia arbutifolia (Red Chokeberry)

A tough, dependable plant with four-season interest, Aronia arbutifolia (Red Chokeberry) is a tall, multi-stemmed, semi-evergreen shrub that adds beauty to the garden. In spring, a profusion of white to light pink flower clusters appear along the branches. The foliage of elliptic, glossy dark green leaves turns brilliant red in the fall and is often compared to the flamboyant Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus). The flowers are followed in late summer by abundant clusters of red berries that persist throughout fall and well into winter. Along with the reddish-brown, exfoliating bark, they add color to the winter landscape. Easy to grow, the Red Chokeberry species is native to both wet and dry thickets, primarily in eastern North America. It forms sizable colonies and is excellent for naturalistic landscaping. Red Chokeberry provides high wildlife value to any garden. In spring, the flowers provide nectar and pollen to native bees and butterflies, including mason, miner, and bumblebees. The showy fruit is an excellent food source for a wide variety of over-wintering songbirds and migrating birds such as thrushes, catbirds and waxwings.

• Slowly grows with an erect and bushy habit, up to 5-10 ft. tall (150-300 cm) and 3-5 ft. wide (90-150 cm). Remove root suckers to prevent colonial spread.
• A full sun to part shade lover, this plant is best grown in average, medium, well-drained soils. Best fruit production generally occurs in full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soils, including boggy or dry soils
• Generally pest and disease-free, it is also deer-resistant.
• Mass in mixed shrub borders, woodland gardens, and naturalized areas where its suckering, colonial growth habit does not need to be restrained. Perfect as a specimen plant, for hedges, or along ponds or streams.
• Propagate by seed in fall outside. Can also be propagated by removing suckers and potting them up when plants are dormant. Softwood cuttings can be taken in early summer.
• Native to North America.