The long-awaited early days of spring are finally here. We can feel the difference and are beginning to see the signs as well. Snowdrops and crocus are in bloom, daffodils are emerging, and buds are beginning form on our trees and shrubs. We aren’t the only ones waiting for spring! Many wildlife species are also feeling the change. The overnight low temps are warming, the ground is softening, and the warmth of the sun’s rays is intensifying. As the birds return and the caterpillars emerge, they are looking for food. The timing is critical.
Many of the plants that herald spring for us – the daffodils, the forsythia, even the lilacs – are beautiful to us, but don’t provide for the wildlife awakening around us. This month, in celebration of Arbor Day and Earth Day, let’s focus in on one of our spring powerhouses – serviceberry trees.
Many of our neighborhoods here in CNY are blessed with tree cover. If you don’t have a large tree in your yard, you likely have one nearby. These large trees provide us many services like temperature regulation, stormwater retention, and carbon sequestration. They also support many wildlife species. But in the early spring, some of the biggest supporters of bees and other pollinators are the smaller understory trees that grow in the landscape’s middle layer in the partial shade of the canopy or along the woodland edge.
Amelanchier canadensis in bloom
Amelanchier, commonly known as Serviceberry, is a genus of about 20 species of small to medium trees native primarily to the northeastern United States. They are among the first plants to bloom in spring, but are ornamental all year long. From the display of beautiful, white blooms in spring which give way to small red then purple berries in summer, to the blazing, bright leaf colors in fall. They grow in single stem or multi-stemmed form from 15 to 25 feet tall. All serviceberries provide food and shelter for an incredibly high number of pollinating insects, birds, and small mammals, creating a solid foundation for countless food webs. They are larval host plants for a variety of moths and
A Robin enjoying Amelanchier laevis berries
butterflies, including the Striped Hairstreak, Viceroy, Tiger Swallowtail, and Red-spotted Purple, which in turn provide food for our young birds as they hatch in the spring. Serviceberries are also of special value to our native bees that are searching for pollen and nectar in the early spring, as well as syrphid and tachinid flies that are beneficial predators of other garden pests. Robins, chickadees, catbirds, and cardinals especially enjoy the berries later in the season. Serviceberries are the centerpiece that bring this all together.
There are several species that are somewhat difficult to tell apart. Those that grow well in our region include:
Amelanchier canadensis, Shadblow Serviceberry, often grows in a multi-stemmed form and tolerates most soil types including clay and sand. In early spring its small, fuzzy buds lead to a profusion of white flowers attracting numerous emerging pollinators. It is a true understory tree and prefers a shady location, but will grow in full sun if the site is moist enough. In summer the branches are covered in red and purple berries and in fall the leaves turn red, orange, and gold.
Fuzzy flower buds
Amelanchier laevis, Allegheny Serviceberry, is very similar to the Shadblow but can tolerate wetter soils. The foliage is bronze-green in color in spring, turning deep green in summer, before turning red-orange in fall. Its smooth, gray bark and multi-stemmed form make it attractive in the winter landscape.
Amelanchier arborea, Downy Serviceberry, gets its name from the soft, fuzzy underside of the emerging leaves which are a soft green in color. This variety tolerates full sun and drier soils better than the others and turns coppery or burgundy in the fall.
Amelanchier x grandiflora, Apple Serviceberry, is a naturally occurring hybrid which produces bigger white flowers. Its berries ripen in June, giving it the sometimes used common name Juneberry.
Amelanchier canadensis in fall
Serviceberries are a great choice for any landscape, but especially for small yards or near the house because of their size and non-invasive roots. Plant them in small groups about 10 feet apart and plant shade loving species below them like a soft, native sedge grass such as Carex rosea or pensylvanica, wild bleeding hearts (Dicentra eximia), and coral bells (Heuchera americana). Or choose a combination of woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata), zig zag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), and foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia). Placing a combination of native plants at the feet of this lovely tree will magnify the ecological value while creating a stunning addition to your landscape.
Plant one in your landscape this year! If you do, purchase a smaller plant and it will adapt more easily and grow faster in its new home. Choose a site that gets 4 to 6 hours of sun for better flower and fruit production. If you can, place it in a location where you can see it from inside your house and enjoy the wildlife it brings all year round.
Tree planting tips:
- It is generally better to plant trees in the fall, but if you do plant one in spring, just be careful to keep the root ball moist through the first summer and fall.
- Dig a hole a bit wider, but no deeper than the container you bought it in.
- Remove the tree from the container and loosen the roots a bit. If the roots are curling around the edge of the root ball, you will need to straighten them out or cut them before planting. If the roots continue to grow in a circular pattern, they will choke the tree eventually killing it.
- Place the tree in the hole and backfill with soil, pressing the soil in firmly around it. Be sure the flare of the tree at the base of the trunk isn’t buried in the hole or covered with soil.
- Water it well immediately after planting.
- Cover the ground under the tree with a living mulch like the native plants mentioned above, or a 2 inch layer of mulch that extends out to the drip line. (The drip line is the area underneath the branches of the tree.) Never pile mulch up against the trunk of the tree.
Planting serviceberries at the Peace Garden
We planted 2 types of Amelanchier last year in 2 locations at FT Proctor Park – 3 Amelanchier canadensis in the North Circle and 3 Amelanchier laevis at the Peace Garden. Come out and see how they grow in very different conditions. The North Circle is a mostly shady, often wet site while the Peace Garden is in full sun in a location that can be both moist and dry at different times of the year. You can see the difference in form already. They were bought in 3 gallon containers and were only about 4 to 5 feet tall when planted. During the first 2 years or so, newly planted trees focus on growing their roots, so we don’t expect to see much upper growth until the 3rd or 4th year. And if you’re wondering what the metal cages are for, they are for deer protection. Although serviceberries should be somewhat deer resistant, we all know deer will graze on just about anything if hungry enough and we know we have significant deer pressure at the park. The fencing is temporary and will ensure the young trees have a chance to get established and gain some height before we remove it.
See you at the park!
This handout from the Cornell Cooperative Extension details how to plant a tree for success: https://rocklandcce.org/resources/how-to-plant-a-tree-or-shrub
For a list of other early spring blooming plants and how they particularly support native bees: https://www.inournature.ca/early-spring-blooming-native-plants
