Black Chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa
Also listed as Photinia melanocarpa, Aronia nigra
Also known as Black Chokecherry
Climate Match for your location
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Black chokeberry is a hardy deciduous shrub prized for its white spring flowers, dark purple berries, and brilliant red fall foliage. It thrives in poor soils where many ornamentals struggle and provides food for wildlife while tolerating wet conditions.
Why grow it
Black chokeberry offers reliable ornamental and ecological value across a wider range of soil conditions than many native shrubs, particularly in poorly drained or nutrient-poor sites where alternatives like highbush blueberry would decline. Its multi-season interest (spring flowers, summer berries, fall color) and tolerance for both wet and dry soils make it useful for riparian buffers, rain gardens, and sites where soil amendment is impractical. Compared to related species like red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), black chokeberry produces larger, more densely clustered fruits that persist longer into winter, though red chokeberry offers more dramatic fall color.
Watch out for
Plants may sucker vigorously from the base and root system in favorable conditions, requiring periodic removal if a single-stem or contained form is desired. Fruit production can be prolific enough to create a dense carpet of self-sown seedlings in nearby cultivated beds, so site placement should account for potential volunteer establishment. The berries, while edible, are quite astringent and best used in processing rather than fresh consumption.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Rosaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Black chokeberry is a hardy deciduous shrub prized for its white spring flowers, dark purple berries, and brilliant red fall foliage. It thrives in poor soils where many ornamentals struggle and provides food for wildlife while tolerating wet conditions.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Black Chokeberry grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Black chokeberry offers reliable ornamental and ecological value across a wider range of soil conditions than many native shrubs, particularly in poorly drained or nutrient-poor sites where alternatives like highbush blueberry would decline. Its multi-season interest (spring flowers, summer berries, fall color) and tolerance for both wet and dry soils make it useful for riparian buffers, rain gardens, and sites where soil amendment is impractical. Compared to related species like red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), black chokeberry produces larger, more densely clustered fruits that persist longer into winter, though red chokeberry offers more dramatic fall color.
Watch out for
Plants may sucker vigorously from the base and root system in favorable conditions, requiring periodic removal if a single-stem or contained form is desired. Fruit production can be prolific enough to create a dense carpet of self-sown seedlings in nearby cultivated beds, so site placement should account for potential volunteer establishment. The berries, while edible, are quite astringent and best used in processing rather than fresh consumption.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Rosaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
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