Plant of the Month
Choke Cherry
Choke cherry, Aronia prunifolia, a shrub or small tree, is widely distributed over much of North America. It occurs across a wide swath of the continent from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific states and the southern half of British Columbia. Choke cherries are also found in much of the desert southwest. Leaves are egg-shaped, sharply toothed and from 2 to 5 inches long. Spikes of dense white flowers cover the tree in late spring or early summer. Deep purple fruits develop late in summer.
Humans find these fruits too tart (unless made into jellies or pies with the addition of sugar), but many avian species - including songbirds - love them. Grouse and prairie chickens also eat choke cherries.
Although birds eat the fruits, the greatest value of these little trees is their ability to host large numbers of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) larvae. Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home; How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens, lists genus Prunus as third in his rank of woody plants that are listed according to their ability to support Lepidoptera species. Because migrating and nesting birds depend heavily on insects, choke cherry is a great addition to any landscape developed to aid those birds that might appear or nest in your yard.
Plant of the Month Archives
December 2008 - Witch Hazel
January 2009 - Winterberry
March 2009 - Desert Ironwood
April 2009 - Marsh Marigold
May 2009 - Serviceberry
June 2009 - Choke Cherry