No consensus exists regarding the enumeration of North American Amelanchier taxa. In eastern North America, most floras and regional treatments have roughly the corresponding number (although sometimes not the same species) as G. N. Jones (1946); though often substantial differences of opinion exist regarding circumscriptions of individual taxa. Disagreement is deeper for western North America, for which Jones had seven species and P. Landry (1975) had but one.
Identification of individual taxa can be difficult because of the variability within each species. In addition, some species have not diverged much from one another genetically.
In general, we are following the treatment in the Flora of North America[]

Common Name: Cusick's Serviceberry

General Information

Amelanchier cusickii is a deciduous shrub growing 2 - 8 metres tall. The plant often suckers freely, producing up to 50 stems and forming colonies[].
The plant is commonly harvested from the wild for local use as a food, and sometimes also as a medicine. An ornamental plant, it is grown in gardens for its floral display, the autumn colour of its leaves, and for its edible fruits, which attract birds to the garden[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western N. America - British Colombia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana

Habitat

Open woods, canyons and hillsides from near sea-level to the sub-alpine zone[]. Basaltic ledges, cliffs, and bluffs along streams, stony soil, streambeds, stream banks, copses, mountainsides, roadsides; at elevations from 600 - 2,300 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Hardy to about -20°c according to one report[], whilst another suggests that this species is hardy to about -50°c[].
Prefers a rich loamy soil in a sunny position or semi-shade[, ] but thrives in any soil that is not too dry or water-logged[]. Plants are fairly lime tolerant[], they also grow well in heavy clay soils.
All members of this genus have edible fruits and, whilst this is dry and uninteresting in some species, in many others it is sweet and juicy. Many of the species have potential for use in the garden as edible ornamentals.
This species is particularly interesting because it is quite compact and produces an excellent quality quite large fruit[].
The main draw-back to this genus is that birds adore the fruit and will often completely strip a tree before it is fully ripe[].
This plant has the largest flowers in the genus, they are up to 5cm across[].
A stoloniferous species, spreading by suckers to form a thicket[].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[]. Grafting onto seedlings of Amelanchier lamarckii or Sorbus aucuparia is sometimes practised in order to avoid the potential problem of hybridizing[].
This species and Amelanchier alnifolia frequently grow together and there is no evidence of hybridization; though hybridization has been observed between Amelanchier alnifolia semiintegrifolia and Amelanchier cusickii[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , ]. Ripening in mid summer, the fruit is soft and juicy with a few small seeds in the centre, it has a very nice sweet flavour with a hint of apple in the taste[]. The fruit can also be dried and used as raisins or made into pemmican[, ]. The bluish-black fruit is about 10mm in diameter, it is rich in iron and copper[, ].

The leaves are a tea substitute[].

Medicinal

An infusion of the inner bark is used as a treatment for snow-blindness[].

Other Uses

The plant is considered to be of value in breeding programmes because of its large fruits, long fruit clusters and large flowers[].

Propagation

Seed - it is best harvested 'green', when the seed is fully formed but before the seed coat has hardened, and then sown immediately in pots outdoors or in a cold frame. If stored seed is obtained early enough in the autumn, it can be given 4 weeks warm stratification before being left out in the winter and it should then germinate in the spring. Otherwise seed can be very slow to germinate, perhaps taking 18 months or more. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a sheltered outdoor position, planting them out once they are 20cm or more tall.
If there is sufficient seed it is best to sow it thinly in an outdoor seedbed[, ]. Grow the seedlings on for two years in the seedbed before planting them out into their permanent positions during the winter.
Layering in spring - takes 18 months[].
Division of suckers in late winter. The suckers need to have been growing for 2 years before you dig them up, otherwise they will not have formed roots. They can be planted out straight into their permanent positions if required.