Index    Handbook of the Trees of New England by Lorin Low Dame, Henry Brooks

Amelanchier Canadensis, Medic. Shadbush. June-berry.

Habitat and Range.—Dry, open woods, hillsides.

New England,—throughout.

Habit.—Shrub or small tree, 10-25 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 6-10 inches, reaching sometimes a height of 40 feet and trunk diameter of 18 inches; head rather wide-spreading, slender-branched, open; conspicuous in early spring, while other trees are yet naked, by its profuse display of loose spreading clusters of white flowers, and the delicate tints of the silky opening foliage.

Bark.—Trunk and large branches greenish-gray, smooth; branchlets purplish-brown, smooth.

Winter Buds and Leaves.—Buds small, oblong-conical, pointed. Leaves 2-3-½ inches long, about half as wide, slightly pubescent when young, dark bluish-green above at maturity, lighter beneath; outline varying from ovate to obovate, finely and sharply serrate; apex pointed or mucronate, often abruptly so; base somewhat heart-shaped or rounded; leafstalk about 1 inch long; stipules slender, silky, ciliate, soon falling.

Inflorescence.—April to May. Appearing with the leaves at the end of the branchlets in long, loose, spreading or drooping, nearly glabrous racemes; flowers large; calyx 5-cleft, campanulate, pubescent to nearly glabrous; segments lanceolate, acute, reflexed; petals 5, whole, narrow-oblong or oblong-spatulate, about 1 inch long, two to three times the length of the calyx; stamens numerous: ovary with style deeply 5-parted.

Fruit.—June to July. In drooping racemes, globose, passing through various colors to reddish, purplish, or black purple, long-stemmed, sweet and edible without decided flavor.

Horticultural Value.—Hardy throughout New England; grows in all soils and situations except in wet lands, but prefers deep, rich, moist loam; very irregular in its habit of growth, sometimes forming a shrub, at other times a slender, unsymmetrical tree, and again a symmetrical tree with well-defined trunk. Its beautiful flowers, clean growth, attractive fruit and autumn foliage make it a desirable plant in landscape plantations where it can be grouped with other trees. Occasionally in nurseries; procurable from collectors.

Plate LIX.—Amelanchier Canadensis.