Serviceberry shines in spring

Saskatoon Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)

If you have been noticing a lot of attractive, white-flowering shrubs in woodland areas around town lately, that is the serviceberry.

Also known as Juneberry, shadbush, sarvisberry and Saskatoon-berry, it is a deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to western North America. Its showy white flowers light up the hillsides all over the Inland Northwest every spring.

Serviceberries have multiple trunks and grow at a moderate rate. The leaves are oval with toothed margins and turn yellow in the fall. The branches are reddish brown. The flowers, which grow in clusters, are star-shaped with five petals. It’s a shame they don’t last very long, but they add a lot of beauty to our spring landscape while they do.

The flowers develop into deep purple berries that look like miniature apples. Perhaps this is because serviceberries and apples are related, with each being a member of the rose family. The berries, said to taste similar to blueberries, can be eaten fresh or dried and can be used to make jelly or wine. Because birds are attracted to the berries, these shrubs are a natural choice when trying to establish a backyard wildlife sanctuary.

They are very easy to grow in any type of soil and are available at area nurseries that sell native plants. They look their best when planted against a dark background like conifers. The shrubs spread by stolons – branches that root underground or on the surface – but are not considered invasive. Serviceberries can be propagated by ripe seeds or from these stolons.

If you would like to see some serviceberries in the Spokane area, take a drive on Southeast Boulevard a few blocks north of 29th Avenue or look for them on the west side of the Pullman highway just south of Interstate 90.