Chokeberry (Aronia)
Aronia melanocarpa
Almost indestructible and very productive; the astringent berries are best juiced or cooked, and the autumn colour is superb.
Aronia melanocarpa, called the black chokeberry, is a species of shrubs in the rose family native to eastern North America, ranging from Canada to the central United States, from Newfoundland west to Ontario and Minnesota, south as far as Arkansas, Alabama, and Georgia. This plant has been introduced and is cultivated in Europe.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
At a glance
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
- Water need
- Medium
- Mature height
- 2 m
- Maintenance
- Low
- Hardiness
- USDA 3–8
- Layers
- shrub
Functional roles
Pollination & soil
- Soil
- medium/loam, heavy/clay
- pH
- Acid, Neutral
Unfussy; copes with both wet and dry ground.
Propagation
How to make more of this plant for free — the permaculture way.
When: Divide / softwood cuttings
Very tough and productive; berries are astringent fresh, excellent cooked or juiced.
Where to get it
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Seed data pending expert review. Identification photo and description are sourced from Wikipedia/Wikimedia; always confirm a plant in person before eating any part of it.