Bearberry vs Aronia Berry - TreeTime.ca

Bearberry vs Aronia Berry

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Aronia melanocarpa

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Bearberry
Aronia Berry

Bearberry is a dwarf shrub known for its creamy pink flowers and red edible fruits.

It is great as a filler in gardens and flowerbeds in place of invasive ground cover plants, like English Ivy.

Bearberry will attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees to your property. It is one of the top 12 plants recommended by the Alberta Native Bee Council to support pollinators.

Aronia Berry produces black fruit that is often considered too astringent. This is why they are also referred to as Black Chokeberry. It is native to Eastern Canada and the Eastern United States. White to pink flowers appear in the spring which provides a nice contrast to the dark green foliage. In fall the leaves turn a vibrant orange to red.

It has a fast growth rate, strong roots, and can tolerate growing in wet soils. This makes it well suited for various projects including forming hedges, bank stabilization, erosion control, and in wetter riparian areas. They are also well suited as an understory plant as it grows well under other trees.

Aronia berries have their own unique flavour. The polyphenols and anthocyanins are touted as healthy antioxidants and lots of research seems to be underway on the health benefits of this fruit.

Bearberry Quick Facts

Aronia Berry Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.1 m (0.3 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium


Foliage: leathery, evergreen
Fall colour: red to orange color
Flowers: small, purple-white
Flowers: whitish-pink
Berries: small red berries
Berries: small black berries, edible
Flavor: astringent
Harvest: late summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Other Names: kinnikinnick, mealberry, sandberry
Other Names: black choke berry, black chokeberry