Serviceberry, Alleghany, Bare Root

Serviceberry, Alleghany (Amelanchier laevis)

Alleghany Serviceberry is a stately small tree or large shrub known for its graceful beauty and ecological value. With fragrant spring blooms, sweet summer fruits, and fiery fall foliage, it’s a standout species for native landscapes, wildlife gardens, and edible plantings. Among Serviceberries, it is notable for its smooth, elegant bark and brilliant orange-red fall colors. Its adaptability and striking features make it a favorite for naturalized areas and ornamental plantings alike.

Key Characteristics

• Early Spring Blooms
  In March to April, Alleghany Serviceberry bursts into bloom with profuse clusters of star-shaped, white flowers. These fragrant blooms emerge slightly earlier than those of Saskatoon Serviceberry and provide nectar for bees and early pollinators, while creating a showy early-season display.

• Sweet, Edible Fruits
  By early summer (June), it produces juicy, blueberry-like fruits with a mild sweetness. While slightly smaller than those of Saskatoon Serviceberry, the berries of Alleghany are a favorite for fresh eating, baking, and making preserves. Birds such as robins, cedar waxwings, and thrushes eagerly flock to the tree for its ripe fruits.

• Vivid Fall Color
  In the autumn, the Alleghany Serviceberry shines with vibrant orange-red foliage, rivaling the hybrid Autumn Brilliance in intensity. Its fall color is more vivid than that of Downy Serviceberry, which tends toward yellow to orange hues.

• Smooth, Elegant Bark
  The smooth, silvery bark of Alleghany Serviceberry provides year-round interest, especially in winter, when its slender form and bark contrast beautifully against snow or evergreen backdrops. This feature makes it visually distinct from the rugged bark of Saskatoon Serviceberry.

• Versatile and Adaptable
  Thriving in full sun to partial shade, Alleghany Serviceberry prefers medium-moist soils but tolerates a range of conditions, making it suitable for understory plantings, riparian zones, and woodland edges. Like all Serviceberries, it supports pollinators and birds while contributing to soil stability and erosion control.

Product Details

• Native Range: Eastern North America
• Plant Life Cycle: Perennial
• Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Requirements: Medium-moist, well-draining soils
• Mature Height: 15-40 feet
• Bloom Time: March to April
• Bloom Color: White
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-7

How Alleghany Serviceberry Compares to Other Serviceberries

Alleghany Serviceberry shares its early-season blooms, edible fruits, and wildlife benefits with other Serviceberry species. However, its smooth, elegant bark and vibrant orange-red fall foliage set it apart from the Downy Serviceberry’s yellow tones and the Saskatoon’s more shrub-like form. Compared to the hybrid Autumn Brilliance, Alleghany Serviceberry is slightly taller and leans more toward naturalistic plantings due to its native origins. Its berries are smaller and milder in flavor than Saskatoon but equally versatile for culinary use.

Graceful, adaptable, and ecologically valuable, Alleghany Serviceberry is a fantastic choice for enhancing biodiversity while adding seasonal beauty to your landscape.