Shadblow is a yearlong showstopper: the gray bark will sometimes have ruddy tones, creating a simply beautiful silhouette in winter months. New growth kickstarts in early spring with small, furry flower buds that erupt in an impressive display of white blooms. This species is one of the first native trees to set flowers each year, attracting a host of emerging pollinators. The blossoms are replaced by small, green fruits that ripen to rich red and dark purple in late summer and throughout autumn. Although these pomes are roughly the size and shape of blueberries, their structure is akin to an apple, but with a flavor reportedly similar to tart cherries. The foliage turns a blazing assortment of red, orange, and gold in the fall.

Amelanchier canadensis prefers medium-moisture soils with good amounts of particulate matter for a well-drained site. A true understory tree, this multi-stemmed plant flourishes in the partial shade and rich growing conditions of a forested location. Shadblow will tolerate full sun so long as it receives a consistent amount of moisture; it will shed its leaves and fail to thrive if planted in a persistently dry, exposed spot. Although this species is historically native to the eastern portion of North America, if the growing conditions are met, Shadblow survives quite well outside of its home range. This plant will slowly spread by the roots; prune it back to limit this suckering behavior. Trees within the Amelanchier genus are able to and will often hybridize with one another.

Shadblow bears a “keystone species” badge: a single tree is capable of supporting a colossal amount of complete food webs, especially if surrounded by other native plants. From the Tiger Swallowtail, Viceroy, and Admiral caterpillars that thrive and feed in its boughs, to the myriads of birds that flock to feed on the berries produced and the insects attracted to the area, this tree is the centerpiece that brings them all together.

Shadblow is so named because it has been documented as blooming at the same time as the shad, a type of river herring, are making their way inland during their annual spawning migrations along the East Coast. Also commonly known as Canadian Serviceberry, Juneberry, Junebush, and simply Serviceberry.

Sometimes listed under the scientific name Amelanchier lucida.

Live Plant Shipping Table
	Spring	Fall	Age/Size
Dormant Bare Roots	April/May	October	1 year/12"

Map Key

Present in state

Present but introduced in county

Present and native in county; not rare

Not present in state

Present and native in county; rare

Species extirpated (historic)

State or county listed as noxious

Present in state; exotic

This map shows the native and introduced (adventive) range of this species. Given appropriate habitat and climate, native plants can be grown outside their range.

3 Questions asked on Amelanchier canadensis

Maggie July 26

Are the berries edible for people as well?

Prairie Moon July 26

HI Maggie! Yes, the berries on Amelanchier species can be used for human consumption. Birds and small mammals will also love the berries! As with any medicinal/edible question, we always caution our customers to be absolutely certain on the ID of a plant before you eat it.

Cultivars are plentiful these days; this is such a popular, small landscaping tree because of the early spring flowers and fall, edible berries. You should be able to find cultivated varieties out there that produce larger berries than the true native form that we carry.

Karla January 1

Are these grown from seed or from cuttings/cloned? Thank you

Prairie Moon January 3

Amelanchier canadensis bare-roots are grown from seed.

Jennifer April 3

Can I plant shadblow as an understory tree of a young 6 ft oak tree? If so, what spacing is recommended? Thanks~

Prairie Moon April 4

Hi Jennifer. Shadblow will make an amazing understory tree - and fantastic Keystone Species pairing - with the oak tree! Plan on spacing it about 5' to 10' from the oak trunk so they have room to grow up together.

Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2” wide x 5” deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

Shadblow

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