Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny Serviceberry)

Amelanchier laevis, also called Allegheny serviceberry, is a small, deciduous, typically multi-trunked tree or large shrub which is native to thickets, open woods, and forest understories and edges in Eastern North America. Slightly larger than other serviceberry species, Allegheny serviceberry can grow to a mature size of 15-40' tall and wide. Like other serviceberries, Amelanchier laevis produces showy, slightly fragrant, white flowers in the spring before the plant's leaves emerge; flowers are attractive to a wide variety of pollinators.

In the late spring and early summer, Allegheny serviceberry produces its namesake fruits: small, blue to purple-black edible berries, commonly used in jams and pies. Berries can be cooked and eaten raw, but are also highly valued by songbirds and small mammals. Somewhat sensitive to drought, but prefers moist, acidic, well-drained loamy soils, but will tolerate a range of soil types. Amelanchier laevis has tolerates full sun and partial shade, and tolerates a wide range of soil types, though it prefers moist well-drained soils, and can be used in the home garden in a variety of ways mimicking its natural habitat.

Our Allegheny serviceberry is available in both single-stem and multi-stem varieties; the single-stem selection is the perfect start to maintaining Amelanchier laevis in more of a tree-form, whereas multi-stem serviceberry is a great choice for shrub or hedge maintenance or for naturalizing in a forest understory area.