Serviceberries require
pruning yearly
; late winter or early spring is best before the new leaves appear. Inspect the tree for deadwood, diseased wood, and crossed branches. Use clean and sharp pruners to remove just what is necessary. Leaving some old growth is important, as the flowers form on old wood.
How do you shape a serviceberry tree?
Remove all suckers that grow
from the base of the trunk if you want to maintain a tree shape; remove the suckers as they develop throughout the year by simply plucking them off with your fingers. Allow these lower suckers to grow if a shrub form is desired.
Can you keep a serviceberry tree small?
Whether pruned into a small tree or grown as a large shrub, serviceberry is easy to care for,
drought tolerant
once established, and a versatile choice for the ornamental garden.
How big do serviceberry bushes get?
Mature Size. The downy serviceberry grows to a
height of 15–25′ and a spread of 15–25′
at maturity.
What does a serviceberry shrub look like?
Most types of serviceberry bushes are multi-trunked. Their bark color varies from tan to pale gray; some varieties also have dark lines on their branches and trunks, and most have
reddish-brown twigs
that grow in a zigzag pattern.
Do serviceberry trees have deep roots?
Root System. Serviceberry trees have
very shallow root systems
because they will only grow in areas that are very moist. These shallow roots make for very easy transplanting and are a large part of why they are such popular ornamental trees.
When should serviceberry be pruned?
Serviceberries require pruning yearly;
late winter or early spring is best before the new leaves appear
. Inspect the tree for deadwood, diseased wood, and crossed branches. Use clean and sharp pruners to remove just what is necessary. Leaving some old growth is important, as the flowers form on old wood.
How close to the house can I plant a serviceberry?
Smaller trees can be planted closer
If you want to plant a tree closer then
20 feet
from your house, say 10 feet, it’s best to plant one that has well behaved roots. These include most smaller trees like crabapples and serviceberry as well as most conifers.
How long does a serviceberry tree live?
Trees grow 20 to 50 feet in height with a variable spread. Plants can be grown single-trunked or multi-stemmed. Downy serviceberry is relatively short lived.
It rarely lives longer than 50 years
.
Where should I plant a serviceberry tree?
- Serviceberry trees need at least 4 hours of direct sun each day. They can tolerate partial shade, so you can plant them in a yard with larger trees or at the edge of a woodland and they’ll still get enough light.
- They need moist, well-drained, acidic soil, but they tolerate a wide range of soils.
Are serviceberry berries poisonous to dogs?
For example, regional berries can run the gamut: gooseberries, marionberries, salmonberries, and
serviceberries may be toxic to your dog
. … Two fruits (not berries) to avoid are grapes and cherries, both of which are toxic to dogs.
Can you eat the berries from a serviceberry tree?
Food Use. During the summer the ripe serviceberry fruits
can be eaten raw, cooked, or dried
. The leaves can be dried and used for tea (Kindscher 1987: 28). Many Native North American tribes commonly ate the sweet and juicy ripe serviceberry fruit.
Do serviceberry trees smell?
Serviceberry offers showy flowers, spectacular fall foliage, and edible, tasty fruits. … It explodes in windstorms,
its flowers smell like fish
, it grows too big, and thousands of its thorny seedlings now consume roadsides and the woods.
Is serviceberry the same as juneberry?
Serviceberry (or juneberry or saskatoon berry) is
in the same family as roses, apples, and plums
. … We mostly call these trees juneberry, their common name in the U.S. In Canada they’re referred to as saskatoon berry, and it seems they’re better known and more used there.
How do I know if I have serviceberry?
Serviceberry fruit is round and, depending on its plant’s species, varies from about 1/4 to 1/2 inch diameter. In most serviceberry species, the berries are red when they are
immature
but darken to a deep blue or purple as they ripen. Like blueberries, each serviceberry fruit has a fringed crown opposite its stem.
Do deer eat serviceberry bushes?
Serviceberry (Amelanchier) – This native shrub has beautiful white flowers in early spring, and edible berries, but
it is usually left alone by deer
.
