Saskatoons will flourish outside the prairie provinces. Elsewhere several relatives of varying stature are valued as ornamentals. All produce edible berries following a floriferous spring display and follow up with colourful fall foliage
A car with U.S plates was driving through Canada's flattest province. Confused to their location and seeing a local alongside the road, the wife told her husband to pull over and ask for directions. He did so, asking "Where are we?" "Saskatoon, Saskatchewan." Wife: "Come on and let's find someone who speaks English."
In fact the prairie city is named after the delicious berry bush. In turn this derives from the Cree misâskwatômina for Amelanchier alnifolia. Native to western Canada and hardy in the extreme it varies from a two metre suckering shrub to small tree double or more that height.
Growing best under full sun, the fragrant white flowers bloom in May, followed in June by prolific blue-black fruits. This offers an alternate name of Juneberry or, to those lacking a poetic heart, Alderleaf Serviceberry. In fall the foliage turns shades of bright yellow though orange and even reds.
Not only are these berries welcome in pies, tarts, jams and jellies, but the shrubs or trees form excellent and tough windbreaks, also controlling soil erosion. The wood was used by First Nations for arrow shafts, more recently by settlers for tool handles and fishing rods.
When grown for home or commercial production, several varieties have been developed, bearing larger, even more juicy fruits. Raised for this purpose, they require good drainage but irrigation during droughts.
One drawback is that Saskatoons, as with all Amelanchier, are prone to numerous pests and diseases--if it attacks orchards it will likely feast on Serviceberries. Deer and rabbits also feast on the shoots in winter. Pathogens at least can be discouraged by locating where the plants will experience good air circulation.
Amélanchier is the French name for a species from Europe, Amelanchier ovalis. However, the species are based on North America. At least one species is native to every Canadian province and territory. There is argument amongst experts as to just how many species there are. In their natural locations, they happily hybridize in a wild Kama Sutra, creating something of a taxonomical nightmare. About the only thing taxonomists can agree upon is that the Amelanchier are members of the Rose Family but claim anywhere from six to thirty-three species.
Saskatoons will flourish outside the prairie provinces. Elsewhere several relatives of varying stature are valued as ornamentals. All produce edible berries following a floriferous spring display and follow up with colourful fall foliage.
Downy Serviceberry, Amelanchier arborea, is a widely available 10m tree bearing red-purple fruit and fairly hardy. Less so are both Shadblow, A. canadensis, and the Apple Serviceberry, A. x. grandiflora. The former, no longer found naturally in the wild, is though to have originated in Nova Scotia. It is now very widely planted elsewhere as a desirable ornamental. The fruit are black, while those of the Apple Serviceberry are pink. Both form small to medium height trees.
Wes Porter is a horticultural consultant and writer based in Toronto. Wes has over 40 years of experience in both temperate and tropical horticulture from three continents.
A car with U.S plates was driving through Canada's flattest province. Confused to their location and seeing a local alongside the road, the wife told her husband to pull over and ask for directions. He did so, asking "Where are we?" "Saskatoon, Saskatchewan." Wife: "Come on and let's find someone who speaks English."
In fact the prairie city is named after the delicious berry bush. In turn this derives from the Cree misâskwatômina for Amelanchier alnifolia. Native to western Canada and hardy in the extreme it varies from a two metre suckering shrub to small tree double or more that height.
