Amelanchier: Connecting Seasons, Wildlife, and People
Article published in Northampton Living
(April 2022)
Early spring, when winter still brings snow flurries and cold frosts, when Daffodils and Hyacinth fight through the frozen ground to bring light and hope for the coming months, before the mosquitos and ticks become active and the ecological engine that are the Northeast Deciduous forests open their leaves to the sun, there is a humble yet vital native shrub blooming silken white flowers and sharing its delicate scent through crisp air currents.
As one of the very first nectars to support early season native pollinators, Amelanchier is one of the most inspiring and multifunctional plants to have in a yard or wildlife setting. Known as Juneberry, Shadblow, or Serviceberry, Amelanchier is a welcome sign of a more robust and verdant spring to come.
As these names suggest, after supporting the native pollinator population the flowers drop and delicious edible red fruit appear in early summer. While you wait for your Apples and Pears all season, the Amelanchier will share their fruit freely with songbirds and people alike by mid-June. Once the entire neighborhood has had their fill of these sweet seedy berries and fall turns us back toward the cold, Amelanchier turns brilliant orange, red, and amber. These hardy leaves will stay on the shrub for weeks of enjoyment.
Called Shadblow for its flowering time coinciding with the running of the shad in the Connecticut river and Serviceberry in Appalachia for its flowers appearing in time for the impassable roads to be opened for traveling preachers to bring church service to the mountain towns, Amelanchier is a companion to spring-filled bounty and reconnecting with community.
As the Shrub supports local wildlife at its most fragile and shines when so much is grey and dreary, Amelanchier is a plant I rely on as a designer for bringing biodiversity and utility to otherwise lifeless space. The shrub is of year-round interest and is happy with direct or dappled light and many soil profiles. Amelanchier can connect the seasons in flow, connect wildlife with support and sustenance, and can connect us to the natural world bringing inner-peace and calm that comes with that connection.
More contributions from Navid Hatfield
