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: Juneberry

General Information

Amelanchier canadensis is a deciduous shrub growing from 0.2 - 8 metres tall. The plant often suckers freely, producing up to 100 slender, erect stems and forming open to dense colonies[, ].
The plant is often harvested from the wild for local use as a food, and is also sometimes used medicinally. Superior forms have been developed for their fruits and these are grown on a garden scale. An ornamental plant, it is grown as a hedge and specimen plant in gardens, valued 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

Eastern N. America - Quebec to Nova Scotia, south to Tennessee and Georgia

Habitat

Swamps, low ground, woods and thickets[]. Grows in woods and hedgerows in Britain[]. The plant is abundant in forested wetlands and ecotones with fresh-tidal marshes in the Chesapeake Bay region[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Bees, Apomixy
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a rich loamy soil in a sunny position or semi-shade[, ] but thrives in any soil that is not water-logged, too dry or poor[], though it is more wet-tolerant than other members of this genus[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers an acid soil[, ]. Trees produce more and better quality fruits better when growing in a sunny position[].
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[].
There is at least one named variety of this species with superior fruits. 'Prince William' is a large multi-stemmed shrub to 3 metres tall and 2 metres across[, ]. It crops heavily and its good quality fruit is about 12mm in diameter[].
This species is remarkably plastic in habit, flowering at heights of less than 0.5 metres in thin soils and growing to 8 metres in better conditions[].
The plant generally flowers at about the same time as Amelanchier laevis. It hybridizes with Amelanchier arborea, Amelanchier intermedia, Amelanchier laevis, and Amelanchier spicata. Hybrids with Amelanchier arborea appear to be common and some microspecies may result[].
Tetraploid forms of the plant are self-compatible and produce seeds asexually; diploids are self-incompatible and sexual[].
Grafting onto seedlings of Amelanchier lamarckii or Sorbus aucuparia is sometimes practised in order to avoid the potential problem of hybridizing[].

Edible Uses

Edible fruit - raw or cooked[, , , ]. The fruit contains a few small seeds at the centre, it has a sweet flavour with a hint of apple[, ]. It can be eaten out of hand, used in pies, preserves etc or dried and used like raisins[]. We have found the fruit to be of variable quality, with some forms having a distinct bitterness in the flavour whilst others are sweet, juicy and delicious[]. When the fruit is thoroughly cooked in puddings or pies the seed imparts an almond flavour to the food[]. The fruit is rich in iron and copper[]. The purplish-black fruit is about 6 - 10mm in diameter[, ]. Trees can yield 7 to 15 tonnes per hectare[].

Medicinal

A tea made from the root bark (mixed with other unspecified herbs) was used as a tonic in the treatment of excessive menstrual bleeding and also to treat diarrhoea[, ]. A bath of the bark tea was used on children with worms[, ]. An infusion of the root was used to prevent miscarriage after an injury[].

A compound concoction of the inner bark was used as a disinfectant wash[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Plants can be grown as an informal hedge[]. Any trimming is best done after flowering[]. A fairly wind-tolerant species, it can be used to give protection from the wind as part of a mixed shelterbelt[].

Other Uses

This species can be used as a dwarfing rootstock for Malus spp. (the apples) and Pyrus spp. (the pears)[].

The light brown wood is very hard, strong, close grained. When of sufficient size it is used for making small articles such as tool handles, small implements etc[, , ].

The following is a general description of the wood obtained from members of this genus:-
The heartwood is brown or reddish brown, it is usually absent from small specimens; the thick band of sapwood is slightly brownish. The texture is fine and uniform; the grain straight to irregular; lustre is medium; odour and taste are absent or not distinctive. The wood is hard, heavy, compact, tough, and strong, where formed the dark heartwood is durable. The appearance of the wood is usually marred by numerous brown lines (pith flecks). The wood is easily worked, taking a good polish. When of sufficient sice the wood is used locally for purposes such as tool handles and other small items - it is of no commercial interest, however, because of its scarcity and the small size of the plants[].

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.