The Nature of Phenology 5/11/19: Shadbush

Producers: Hazel Stark & Joe Horn
Host: Hazel Stark

Photos, a full transcript, references, contact information, and more available at thenatureofphenology.wordpress.com.

So varied are the names used to identify shadbush, I inevitably find myself rattling off all the names for this stunning little shrub in the hopes that one of those names will sound familiar to my friends and fellow plant nerds. Some of these names include shad, serviceberry, servicetree, Juneberry, saskatoon, and Amelanchier, which is both the genus of this small tree and the name most often used by gardeners. While it may seem that this plant has enough names, they are also names which cover a great number of species and all of these species will hybridize freely forming fertile crosses that make identification of individual species nearly impossible for all but the foremost Amelanchier expert.