Amelanchier

Plant container-grown trees at any time, or bare-root stock from November to March. Amelanchier prefers moist, well-drained, neutral to acidic soil but tolerates clay and chalk. Choose a sunny or lightly shaded spot. Water regularly during the first growing season. Mulch annually with compost or bark chips. Multi-stemmed specimens create a beautiful naturalistic effect, so consider buying a multi-stem tree or allowing suckers to develop. The small, blueberry-like fruits are edible and taste sweet when ripe in June or July. Birds usually harvest them first, so net the tree if you want to pick them.

Prune lightly in late winter, between November and February, to remove dead, crossing, or overcrowded branches. Amelanchier naturally forms an attractive shape with minimal intervention. Remove suckers from the base if a single-stemmed form is preferred. Avoid heavy pruning, which ruins the graceful habit.