Western Serviceberry
Amelanchier alnifolia
Western Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is a beautiful shrub that grows primarily in Northern California and the Sierra mountains. Western Serviceberry has year-round interest, with showy apple-like white flowers that appear in spring, edible blueberry-tasting fruits in the summer, fall color foliage, and bare branches in the winter.
Western Serviceberry typically is a rounded shrubby form, though it can grow more upright, especially in shady areas. It can be pruned for either a flatter or more rounded, open spreading shape.
Western Serviceberry is fairly easy to grow in soil with excellent drainage, though it prefers loam or sandy loam. In its natural range, at higher elevations, it prefers full sun, needing little or no watering in summer, and is fast growing and long lived - reaching 6 feet in 3 to 6 years and lasting about 60 years. Outside its natural range, it prefers part shade and regular irrigation, and can be slow growing and short lived.
Western Serviceberry is an important food source for birds and animals, and is still grown commercially for human consumption.