In the absence of flowering material, identification of this species is tentative; it is easily confused with Amelanchier spicata. Amelanchier nantucketensis might have originated as a hybrid between Amelanchier spicata and Amelanchier canadensis[].

Common Name:

General Information

Amelanchier nantucketensis is a deciduous shrub growing from 30 - 250cm tall. The plant often suckers freely, producing up to 70 straight, spindly stems and forming colonies[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to South Carolina

Habitat

Fields, sand-plain grasslands, heaths, glacial outwash plains, forest openings, disturbed sites, stream shores, among rocks or sand, dry habitats, ditches, swales; at elevations up to 400 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Insects, Apomixy
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

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[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers an acid or neutral soil.
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. 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[].
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[].
Some petals of this plant bear 1 or 2 tiny pollen sacs near margins on adaxial surfaces. Petal-borne pollen, which is highly unusual within the plant kingdom, is viable in Amelanchier nantucketensis and associated with a unique pollinator guild of native bees[].
Amelanchier nantucketensis has been documented to be self-compatible and able to produce seed asexually[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked. The dark purple-blue fruit is 7.5 - 10mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

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.