25 Seeds SASKATOON BERRY, (Amelanchier alnifolia)

You receice one package of 25 Seeds

Amelanchier alnifolia is a resilient, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or small tree, widely known as the Saskatoon serviceberry or western serviceberry , prized for its edible, blueberry-like fruit and year-round ornamental appeal. It is native to western and central North America and provides significant food sources for both wildlife and humans.

• Size and Form: Typically a multi-stemmed shrub, growing 3 to 18 feet (1 to 5.5 meters) tall, though it can reach up to 30 feet in rich soil. It has a rounded or upright, spreading habit and smooth, thin, light brown to gray bark.
• Flowers: Showy clusters of fragrant, 5-petaled white flowers appear in early spring before the leaves emerge, providing a vital nectar source for pollinators like bees and butterflies.
• Fruit: The flowers give way to small, round, berry-like pomes that ripen to a dark purplish-black in June (hence the name "Juneberry"). They are sweet and juicy, resembling blueberries in size, color, and taste.
• Foliage and Fall Color: The oval-rounded leaves are finely toothed along the upper margin. In autumn, the foliage turns brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red.
• Habitat and Growing Conditions: Amelanchier alnifolia is highly adaptable, growing in a variety of conditions from moist stream banks to dry hillsides. It thrives in well-rained loam or sandy loam and prefers full sun to part shade for best fruit production. It is also remarkably cold and drought tolerant once established.
• Amelanchier alnifolia offers four seasons of interest in the landscape and is a versatile plant for gardens, hedges, windbreaks, and wildlife plantings.
  
• Culinary Uses: The berries are widely consumed fresh, and commercially grown cultivars like 'Smokey' and 'Regent' offer larger, sweeter fruits. They can be used in jams, jellies, pies, and even wine. Native American tribes historically dried the berries for storage or mixed them into pemmican.
• Wildlife Habitat: The berries are an important food source for numerous birds and mammals, including woodpeckers, thrushes, chipmunks, and foxes. Deer and elk also browse on the leaves and twigs.
• Ornamental Uses: The plant's showy spring flowers, attractive fall foliage, and interesting winter bark make it a popular choice for ornamental landscaping.
• Commercial Cultivation: Due to its desirable fruit and hardiness, the plant has been developed commercially for fruit production, especially in Canada, where it is promoted as a "superfruit".