Shadblow serviceberry is a deciduous, early-flowering, large shrub or small tree in the rose family that is native to eastern North America and is found in the coastal and Piedmont of NC. It is an understory tree, often found growing in clumps in swamps, bogs, lowlands, and thickets and grows 15 to 25 feet tall. In spring the showy, fragrant flowers bloom in clusters before leaf-out. The purple berry-like drupes follow and are attractive to wildlife and edible by humans. In fall the leaves turn showy red and orange. This tree prefers part shade and moist well-drained sandy loam but is adaptable to both wet and dry sites and various soil types. It is somewhat clay tolerant. It will grow in full sun but appreciates afternoon shade especially in the south and will require moister soil. It is somewhat tolerant of salt but not of urban conditions. It has three seasons of interest, making it a good small tree to use as a specimen or in small groups. It is a fine addition to naturalized or woodland sites or pollinator gardens. It can also be used along lakes, streams, ponds or other wet sites. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Rust, leaf spot, blight, and powdery mildew can occur. Insects include the sawfly, leaf miner, borers and scale. VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Amelanchier .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Irregular; Multi-stemmed; Multi-trunked
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Medium to dark green leaves (1-3" long) that change to orange-red in autumn. The leaves are alternate, simple, oblong, finely-toothed, rounded at base and apex with a small, sharp projection at the apex. Young leaves have fine hairs but become smooth with age. The undersides have fine hairs.
Fall color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Showy, upright, 5-petaled, slightly fragrant, white flowers with up to 20 stamens in drooping racemes that appear before the leaves emerge from March to April.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Green; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Pome
Fruit value
Edible; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Berry-like pome starts out green then turns red and finally matures to dark purplish-black from May to June.
Bark detail
Its bark is smooth when young. As the tree ages, the bark develops rough long ridges and furrows.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
The twigs are hairy when young, becoming smooth with age. They are reddish-brown in the winter and produce reddish-purple leaf buds. The buds are long and pointed, with scales that have reddish-yellow to reddish-green margins and usually hairs.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern North America
Distribution
USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , GA , MA , MD , ME , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , WV Canada: NB , NS , PE , QC
Wildlife value
It is a host plant for the Red-Spotted Purple and the Viceroy butterflies. Butterflies and other insects nectar at the blooms. The fruits are eaten by songbirds and both small and large mammals. Moderately deer resistant.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Edible fruit; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Pome
Edibility
Edible berries are similar to blueberries and are used in jams, jellies and pies.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Used to make wooden handles, walking sticks, and fishing rods