About
A beautiful, small understory tree, native to Ontario and Niagara. The Service Berry is known for its attractive flowers, smooth/silvery bark and fall colour. Commonly planted in landscapes and cities.
Leaves
Elliptic, serrate with an alternate arrangement. Very nice yellow/orange/red fall colour.
Twigs & Buds
Dark, purple/brown stems with slender, purple, pointy buds.
Flowers & Fruit
Attractive white flowers in mid to late April lasting only one week. In late March, branches can be cut off and placed in water to force flowers to appear. The name "Service" possibly derived from this practice (winter funeral service). The name "Shadbush" came from the timing of Shad fish spawning as Service Berry flowers appear. In June, fruit are tasty like blueberries and can be used to make "Saskatoon berry jam". Berries should be eaten when purple, not red.
Shipping
We currently ship seeds to all Canadian provinces and ship plants just within the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Seeds ship year-round and usually take a few days (or longer if you are ordering from a distant province). It usually takes 2-5 business days in the mail for plant orders once shipped. Plants are generally available from May to September and can be reserved during off season; Shipping costs are calculated during checkout. Seed orders over $100 ship free! See Shipping for more details.