General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Soil pH Preferences: Strongly acid (5.1 – 5.5)
Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: 4-5 feet
Plant Spread: 4-5 feet
Leaves: Good fall color
Deciduous
Other: Running serviceberry is a deciduous, early-flowering, stoloniferous shrub which typically suckers and spreads to form thickets. Finely toothed, oval to almost circular, medium to dark green leaves (1-3" long) lack teeth on lower edges
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Other: Edible berries resemble blueberries in size and color and are often used in pies. Amelanchiers are also commonly called juneberries.
Fruiting Time: Late spring or early summer
Flowers: Showy
Blooms on old wood
Flower Color: White
Flower Time: Spring
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Will Naturalize
Edible Parts: Fruit
Eating Methods: Raw
Cooked
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Birds
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Self fertile
Propagation: Other methods: Stolons and runners
Pollinators: Bees
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • Running Serviceberry
  • Quebec Berry
  • Juneberry
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Amelanchier stolonifera
  • Synonym: Amelanchier spicata var. stolonifera

Photo Gallery
Location: Austin T Blakeslee Natural Area in northeast PA
Date: 2019-07-01
plants among boulders
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2012-04-01
Location: Southern Maine
Date: 2023-05-09
Enjoyed discovering this!  Planted by birds or seed was dormant a
Location: Southern Maine
Date: 2023-06-20
Location: Southern Maine
Date: 2023-06-26
Within 4 days, these berries must have been enjoyed by birds or a
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2013-05-11
Location: My garden in southeast Nebraska
Date: 2013-05-11
Location: Des Plaines, IL
Location: Austin T Blakeslee Natural Area in northeast PA
Date: 2019-07-01
close-up of plant and foliage
Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Jul 8, 2019 8:44 AM concerning plant:
    I believe I found some wild plants growing in shallow, dry soil with boulders around on a rocky ledge area above a rushing stream in northeast Pennsylvania, in the Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area. This species is native to spots in woodland edges, meadows, and rocky ledges and bluffs in southeast Canada & New England down to northern Georgia & Alabama west to Iowa & Minnesota. It is not a common plant in most of its range. I don't think the plants I saw will ever get 4 or 5 feet high in that tough site. The leaves are finely toothed and oval to near circular about 1 to 3 inches long and should lack marginal teeth on the lower edges. Like other Serviceberries, it has the delicate white flowers in April before the leaves emerge or before being full-grown and it bears the small, purple, edible berries in late May or June. Some native plant nurseries sell this species.
  • Posted by sherrilosee (Bloomington, IN - Zone 6a) on Aug 18, 2012 8:08 PM concerning plant:
    This plant is SLOW growing. This is its 3rd year and it's only about 18" high. It does run, though - note the child plant at the left.

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