Serviceberry, juneberry, saskatoon berry. These are just a few of the many names for this awesome plant. We tend to call them serviceberries but no matter what you call them, they make delightful additions to the garden. They boom early in spring, lighting up the landscape with their abundant white flowers. Serviceberry come in different forms, from a bit more compact and shrubby to multiple or single stemmed small trees. One of our favorites is the beautiful Autumn Brilliance.
So Much to Love about Autumn Brilliance
In spring, the Autumn Brilliance serviceberry is covered in cute white flowers that show beautifully against the fresh greens of spring. Pollinators love these flowers, which supply a critical source of early season food for them. Later on, the flowers give way to abundant dark red to purple fruit that is quite tasty for humans and birds alike. When summer winds down and fall sets in, Autumn Brilliance displays its namesake brilliant fall color in reds and oranges that are absolutely luminous.
Along with its many seasons of interest, Autumn Brilliance is a versatile choice. Maturing to 15-20 feet tall and wide, its manageable size makes it a snap to fit into more diminutive gardens and landscapes as a centerpiece. Multi-stem specimens can be planted en masse to create a beautiful hedge or screen. The upright spreading form is naturally elegant and lovely for formal and informal gardens, naturalistic gardens, and wildlife plantings. Autumn Brilliance is an excellent plant for sunny or part-sun gardens and pairs beautifully with small shrubs, grasses, shade plants like hostas, native plants, and annual plantings.
How to Grow Autumn Brilliance
Choosing the best site for planting an Autumn Brilliance serviceberry is fairly straightforward. Full sun to part sun is perfectly fine, with a denser form in more sun. If you are interested in growing for fruit production, a sunnier spot will yield more fruit. This plant isn’t incredibly picky about soils, but it will perform best in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil.
Though it is fairly low-maintenance, pruning away the suckers that naturally form at the base of the plant will maintain the tree form. If suckers aren’t removed, the tree will eventually become a large shrub with all the same wonderful features. Applying a tree wrap in fall is also a good idea, since rabbits and mice find the wood very delicious. Proper planting, regular water, and mulch will get this tree off to the best start. If you have questions or you’re ready to pick out your very own Autumn Brilliance, we are here to help!
