Black Chokeberry

Shrub with white 5 petaled flowers that bloom in May.  Glossy, dark green foliage turns crimson-red in fall.  Long lasting black/purple berries.

Grow to 4’-8’ tall and 4’-8’ wide.  Grows well in full sun or partial shade. Will sucker and form colonies.  Often found in wet soils.  It will tolerate a range of soils from dry to wet, including compacted, low fertility soils; tolerates salt spray and drought. Sometimes used for erosion control and windbreaks in wetter soils.

The fruit is edible, but must be prepared correctly.  High in fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants, the berries have long been used in Russia and eastern Europe to make juices, wines, baked goods, jams, and health tonics. Native Americans used them to make pemmican (jerky). The common name refers to the astringency of the raw berries, which may be tempered by freezing, adding a sweetener, or mixing with sweeter fruits. According to “Preserving Aronia Berries: A Personal Experience and Scientific Insight” on Hugelkulturworks.com, freezing the berries causes the cell walls to break down, thus reducing their astringency.

Many species of birds and mammals browse the astringent berries only when other food sources dwindle in late winter.

Native to Great Lakes region, Northeastern US and higher elevations in Appalachians.

Native Habitat: Lowlands; bogs; dunes; cliffs.

Flowers attract small bees and fruits attract birds.

6-12″ bare root seedlings- $10 for 5