Amelanchier laevis aka Smooth Shadbush

Amelanchier laevis is known as Allegheny serviceberry or juneberry. This small tree belongs to the rose family. It grows wild in eastern North America, from Canada south to Georgia. It lives in open woods, thickets, and along woodland edges. It sheds its leaves each year and often forms several trunks. Garden trees reach about 15–25 feet (4.6–7.6 metres) tall. Some reach 26 feet (8 metres), while wild trees reach 40 feet (12.2 metres). Spread varies from 5–26 feet (1.5–8 metres) among sources.

Young bark is smooth and gray, with darker stripes. Older trunks develop grooves and long cracks. The thin, flexible twigs start reddish brown and turn gray. Long, pointed buds may have fine hairs along their scales. The simple leaves grow one at a time along stems. Their oval blades have fine teeth and lack hairs. New leaves show bronze or purple tones before turning green. Fall brings yellow, orange, and red shades. The leaves can change color and drop early.

White flowers hang in loose racemes during March and April. They open before the leaves or as new leaves unfold. Each flower has five narrow petals and a light scent. The bloom is brief, and spring storms can knock flowers off. Small, round pomes ripen in June or early summer. They turn from red to dark purple or black. Their sweet taste recalls blueberries. People eat them fresh, cooked, or dried for later use. They also make pies, jams, and jellies. Indigenous people used dried fruit in pemmican with meat and fat.

Grow this tree in sun or partial shade. It prefers moist soil that drains well. Acidic to neutral loam suits it, though it accepts clay and sand. Sources disagree about how well it withstands drought. Its growth rate is moderate, and it needs little pruning. It suits USDA zones 4–8 and has an RHS rating of H7. Use it beside woods, in borders, or as a small street tree. Shrubby plants can form screens or loose hedges. Birds and mammals eat the fruit. Bees visit the flowers, and its leaves host two butterfly species.

Serious problems are uncommon, but fire blight can occur. Other diseases include rust, leaf spot, mildew, and canker. Aphids, scales, borers, leaf miners, and spider mites may attack it. Wet weather can cause fruit rot. Its hard wood has served for tool handles. The bark has a history of medicinal use. PFAF lists no known hazards, while RHS labels it potentially harmful. Both sources identify the fruit as edible.