Aronia (Chokeberry) Plant Profile

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa previously known as Pyrus melanocarpa and Photinia melanocarpa) and red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) are deciduous shrubs that are native to eastern North America and bear fruits that are eaten by birds and other wildlife.

These shrubs have three seasons of interest with showy white flowers in the spring, fruits in late summer, and vibrant foliage in the fall. The plants are self-pollinated, but are also pollinator-friendly and attractive to bees, butterflies, and ants. Both kinds of chokeberry shrubs grow to about 3 to 6 feet wide and high. They are hardy to USDA Zones 3 to 9. They reproduce from seed and sending up suckers, which you can prune out or dig and plant elsewhere. They tolerate some shade and prefer moist sites, but will grow in drier soils as well. In the landscape, they can be used in mass plantings for erosion control and windbreaks. Chokeberry can also be grown as an edible fruit crop for humans. However, the fruit is too astringent to be eaten raw. It is normally prepared in baked goods and made into jams, jellies, syrup, tea, juice, and wine. Note that Aronia or Chokeberry is NOT the same as Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana). There are some selected Chokeberry cultivars available commercially that are more compact and better-behaving for the garden setting. They include ‘Autumn Magic’, ‘Viking’, ‘Nero’, and ‘Iroquois Beauty’. Aronia: You Can Grow That! The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners. Audio and text by Kathy Jentz Video by Cassie Peo ➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our Youtube channel (thank you!) ➤Remember to TURN ON notifications to know when our new videos are out ➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE ~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com ~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener ~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/ ~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine ~ Podcast: GardenDC If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles: ~ Loropetalum:

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