Saskatoon serviceberry

Amelanchier alnifolia

Deciduous low spreading shrub to small tree up to 23 ft. tall with white flower clusters, blooming April to August. Adapted to a wide range of soils, but preferring moist, well-drained and acidic soils; up to 10,000 ft. elevation. Similar to and hybridizes with Utah serviceberry (A. utahensis). Intolerant of saline soils and high water tables; able to establish on granitic mine spoils. Common throughout its range. Forms rhizomatous thickets in open woods, conifer forests, grasslands, along streambanks and other riparian zones. Good to excellent browse for large wildlife. Valuable berries and cover for birds and small mammals. Caterpillar host of the moth Setagrotis pallidicollis.