Tree Species of the Amelanchier Genus

Picture of a Serviceberry (Amelanchier) Tree
Amelanchier utahensis, the Utah serviceberry, picture by Stan Shebs, Image use (cc2)

The Amelanchier genus is made up of about 20 species of shrubs and small deciduous trees commonly known as shadbush, serviceberry, sarvisberry, juneberry, Saskatoon, shadblow, shadwood, sugarplum, and wild-plum.

Amelanchier have erect or drooping flowers in clusters of one to four flowers, or in racemes with 4–20 flowers. The flowers have five white (rarely pink, yellow, or streaked with red), linear petals. The flowers appear in early spring, such as "when the shad run" (a fish) according to tradition (leading to names such as "shadbush"). The fruit is a berry-like pome, red to purple to nearly black at maturity in summer.

The fruit of several Amelanchier species are excellent to eat straight from the plant, tasting similar to a blueberry with a nutty flavor. The fruit can be harvested for pies and jams. The Saskatoon berry is harvested for commercial production. The Native American food pemmican was flavored by shadbush fruits in combination with fat and dried meats, and the stems were made into arrow shafts.

Some Amelanchier species are very popular as ornamental, landscaping shrubs, and used for their flowers, bark, and fall color. All Amelanchier species need similar conditions to grow well, requiring acceptable soil, good drainage, air circulation (to discourage leaf diseases), watering during drought.

Facts about the Amelanchier Genus of Trees

• Genus Scientific Name = Amelanchier
• Genus Common Names = Serviceberry
• Number of Species in the Amelanchier Genus = 23

List of Serviceberry Trees, Amelanchier Genus - All known species, taxa on Earth, organized by scientific Latin botanical name first and common names second. Note that Amelanchier species names are often used interchangeably in retail outlets. Many Amelanchier arborea plants that are for sale are actually hybrids, or sometimes totally different species altogether.