SafePlants

Coastal Serviceberry (Amelanchier obovalis)

The Coastal Serviceberry, scientifically known as Amelanchier obovalis, is a beautiful and versatile plant with several common names, including Coastal Juneberry and Shadbush.

Considerations for Pets

• This plant is a low shrub that is common in coastal pocosins and pine savannas.

Considerations for Children

• This plant is a low shrub that is common in coastal pocosins and pine savannas.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Amelanchier obovalis (Michaux) Ashe
• Synonym: Obovate Coastal Juneberry
• Family: Rosaceae
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Tracheophyta
• Class: Not specified in text, but assumed to be within Tracheophyta
• Taxonomic Rank: Species
• Accepted Name: Amelanchier canadensis var. obovalis

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to eastern North America.
• Specifically found in coastal areas from Newfoundland to Mississippi, within 200 miles of the Atlantic Coast.
• Common in coastal pocosins and pine savannas.
• The Nantucket shadbush is a rare species found only in the Northeast Atlantic coastal areas from Virginia to Nova Scotia.
• The Thicket Serviceberry is native to eastern Canada and the coastal states of the eastern United States.
• Also found in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, particularly in wet areas.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Deciduous tree or shrub.
• Dwarf, yet open spreading habit, making it suitable for smaller gardens.
• Height typically ranges from 3 to 5 feet.
• The Coastal Plain Serviceberry is a low rhizomatous shrub that is spreading from the roots, growing up to 1.5 m.
• Leaves are ovate to oblong.

Quirky Facts

• Serviceberry has historically been an item of trade between interior and coastal people.

Ecological Role

• Blooms early in the season, before the leaves appear.

Other Serviceberry Species

• Amelanchier alnifolia: Saskatoon, Pacific Serviceberry, Western Serviceberry
• Amelanchier laevis &#39Jennybelle&#39: Jennybelle Serviceberry, Jennybelle Southern Juneberry, Jennybelle Coastal Serviceberry
• Amelanchier grandiflora &#39Autumn Brilliance&#39: Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry
• Amelanchier pallida: Pale serviceberry
• Amelanchier canadensis: Canadian Service-Berry, Coastal Plain Serviceberry
• Amelanchier arborea: Downy Service-Berry
• Amelanchier oblongifolia: Nantucket Serviceberry

Additional Information

• Hardy to zone 6 (UK).
• Flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).
• Very easy to transplant during the dormant season.
• One of the first native trees to bloom each spring.
• The fruit ripens in early summer in coastal areas and late summer further inland.

Resources

• Dave's Garden
• Discover Life
• Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
• RHS (Royal Horticultural Society)