Cricket Hill Garden
Aronia, Black Chokeberry seedling
$ 24
Aronia melanocarpa
Variety description: A fruit for the future! Aronia offers a beautiful spring display of blossoms, attractive dark green summer foliage and very nutritious berries which ripen in late summer.
The blueberry-sized black fruits of Aronia melanocarpa have the highest known levels of antioxidants (anthocyanins and flavonoids) of any temperate fruit, five times higher than cranberry and blueberry, and also contain strong anticancer compounds. Aronia has been widely grown in Eastern Europe and Russia where the fruits are processed and used in beverages, wine, jelly, and baked goods. Aronia are too astringent for fresh eating. To learn more about this intriguing fruit, see this article by the University of Connecticut's Prof. Mark Brand.
Site requirements: Aronia berries grow best in a full sun location with fertile soil. They are quite adaptable and will grow in poor, drier sites as well.
Size at maturity: 8-12' tall and wide.
Pollination: Self-fruitful.
Pests and diseases: No insects or diseases are of concern in the Northeast. Birds will eat the berries only in the winter when the frost has lessened their astringency.
Hardiness: Will grow in USDA zones 4-9.
Plant size: 3 yr. seedling, 2-3' tall
When we ship: Winter/Spring 2024