Getting three benefits from one plant is better than one. Or, as you hope, growing berry plants like blueberries and raspberries. Not only do they produce edible fruits that you can pick whenever you want, but they are also ornamental and attract pollinators. Unfortunately, successfully growing blueberries in Colorado is not an easy task because the soil is too alkaline, and raspberries can be a hit or miss option if you don’t grow the right variety or water those thirsty plants properly. So, to please yourself and local pollinators, grow shadberry (Amelanchier spp.).
Offering four seasons of interest, serviceberry begins the growing season with a spray of sweetly fragrant, lilac-like, cottony white flowers while it is still leafing out. Although the flowering period lasts only two weeks, it begins in early spring, attracting pollinating bees, butterflies and hummingbirds while other plants gradually awaken from their winter slumber. But the blue-black berries—technically seeds—are the main attraction. Appearing in some areas in midsummer or June, earning them the nickname “Juneberry,” they feed a variety of birds, including bluebirds, chickadees, goldfinches, pike, juncos, orioles, and woodpeckers.
However, if there are raccoons, chipmunks, bears or squirrels in your area, expect their presence as well. The foliage, preserved by the caterpillars of spring cerulean butterflies, swallowtail butterflies and striped butterflies (after they have metamorphosed), turns into a gorgeous mix of bronze, burgundy and orange hues, becoming the fall highlight of your yard. In winter, their gray bark looks attractive.
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Choosing the right serviceberry for your yard
Bird eats serviceberry fruit – Mirceax/Getty Images
Since pollinators are most familiar with the trees that grow naturally in your area, you are more likely to benefit them by growing native trees. Of the 18 species of serviceberry native to North America, Saskatoon serviceberry (A. alnifolia) and Utah serviceberry (A. utahensis) are native to Colorado. However, their tendency to cross-pollinate has also resulted in a number of natural hybrids.
While you can plant either of these two species to attract birds to your yard and garden since they are not too picky about the taste, Saskatoon serviceberry may offer the biggest bang for your buck if you want to grow your own fruit. In fact, this plant is grown commercially as a superfruit in the Canadian province of Saskatoon. Not only does it match blueberries in appearance, but it also upstages them in flavor as it resembles a sweeter blueberry with apple and rose flavors. And if you eat it along with the crunchy seeds (which are present in smaller quantities than raspberries), you’ll also notice notes of almond.
Saskatoon berry, a perennial hardy in zones 4 to 9, can tolerate alkaline soils, drought and salt, and is especially good in rocky areas at higher elevations. Irga Utah, on the contrary, does not tolerate salt. But it exhibits excellent drought and heat tolerance because it grows in arid areas. At the same time, many nurseries preserve not direct species, but varieties, since they were chosen for their excellent decorative qualities. To maintain a pollinator-friendly landscape, stick to varieties that flower and fruit profusely, such as ‘Regent’, ‘Smoky’ or ‘Thyssen’.
Growing serviceberry in your yard and getting delicious fruits
A serviceberry tree grows in the yard in autumn – Iva Vagnerova/Getty Images
Like most fruiting plants, serviceberry berries require full sun exposure to produce their best blooms and fruit (although these trees will grow well and remain productive in some shade). Although they can tolerate most soil conditions, they will struggle with heavy and poorly draining soils as they require excellent drainage. As mentioned, they can withstand dry periods, although their fruit production will suffer if they remain submerged for long periods of time.
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Rosehip is considered self-fertile, so it can be obtained by planting a single specimen if space is limited. However, if there is a lot of wildlife pressure or you want to maximize productivity, it is best to plant at least two different specimens side by side. Another phenomenon that occurs all too often with serviceberry is the alternating fruiting cycle. This means you may have a bumper crop one year, but a poor harvest the next. To best manage this, you will have to trim your serviceberry berries as they grow on old wood. Since they usually take the form of a shrub, you can prune them into a more desirable shape or get rid of a few stems to weave into a single-trunk tree shape.
Although serviceberry berries are not as damaged by pests and diseases, they are nonetheless susceptible because they are related to roses. Do not grow them near junipers or cedars, as they may become infected with cedar-apple rust. You should also avoid growing them in areas that remain constantly damp unless they are in full sun and are labeled as disease resistant.
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Read the original article about Hunker.