Black chokeberry is a deciduous shrub from the Rosaceae family that spreads freely and suckers profusely. The top is often rounded and upright; it tends to become leggy with age. The fruit is edible though very astringent and is produced from 5-6 flowered clusters that bloom in late spring. The leaves turn red in the fall and will drop for winter. It is native to Eastern North America. Can be used as a shrub in borders or in more open wooded gardens. This plant does well in full sun and partial shade and tolerates a wide variety of soil types including wet boggy soils. The genus name, Aronia , is from the Greek word "aria." This is the Greek name for the species of Sorbus , whose fruits are similar to the Chokeberry. The species name, melanocarpa , is the combination of two words. Melano means black and carpa meaning fruit. This is derived from the ripe fruits of this species. The common name, Chokeberry, references its tart and bitter berries. They are edible but are so astringent they may cause choking. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. VIDEO created by Grant L. Thompson for “ Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines for Landscaping ” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University .
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.
Alternate, simple elliptic 1"-3", glossy, dark green finely serrate leaves that have a wine-red fall color. Color varies among seedlings.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The blooms are tiny 0.3-inch, off-white to pink 5 petaled flowers bloom from May to June in clusters of 5-6.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Pome
Fruit value
Edible; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruits are shiny, showy edible blackish-purple pome (though often referred to as a berry) 1/2" across. Fruits display from August to September. The best fruit production occurs in full sun.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern North America, NC
Distribution
Native: Canada--New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec; United States--AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV;
Wildlife value
Fruits attract birds, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Pome
Edibility
Fruits are edible but quite astringent, hence the common names, so make into jams or jellies.