Also known as Red Chokeberry, an appropriate maxim for the berries of this cheerful shrub could be “look good, taste tart”. Due to their astringency, the berries are often left alone by birds and mammals until late in the winter when the freeze-thaw cycles have softened their bitterness, so in the meantime, you get to enjoy the pop of color they provide amidst bare branches and winter’s browns and grays. If you're feeling adventurous, you could try making the berries into a tart but tasty jelly. Otherwise, you can simply appreciate the shrub’s pink and white spring blossoms, reddish-brown bark, and glossy green leaves that turn red-orange and purple in the fall.
Conditions: Full sun to part shade; medium to moist soils; widely adaptable and tolerant of wet, boggy soil
Size: 6'-12’ tall, 3'-6’ wide
Zone: 3 - 9
Wildlife Value: Fruits provide food for mammals and birds in late winter; flowers attract butterflies and long-tongued bees; branching provides nesting sites for songbirds
Photos: David Korbonits, Samantha Nestory