Aronia Berry vs Flowering Raspberry - TreeTime.ca

Aronia Berry vs Flowering Raspberry

Rubus odoratus

Aronia melanocarpa

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Flowering Raspberry
Aronia Berry

The Flowering Raspberry is an ornamental shrubby plant that blooms with fragrant light purple flowers throughout the summer and has a large, decorative foliage of bright green leaves. The flowers resemble that of a wildrose, and the foliage turns a bright yellow in the fall. This cultivar produces small red raspberries, similar to that of a thimbleberry, but the fruit is mostly tasteless.

The Flowering Raspberry, also known as Virginia Raspberry or Purple-Flowered Raspberry, makes a great hedge plant and is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard.

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.

Flowering Raspberry Quick Facts

Aronia Berry Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: medium


Fall colour: red to orange color
Bark: thornless orange
Flowers: purple
Flowers: whitish-pink
Berries: red to purple, seedy
Berries: small black berries, edible
Firmness: firm
Flavor: tasteless
Flavor: astringent
Harvest: late summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS
Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Other Names: purple-flowered raspberry, virginia raspberry
Other Names: black choke berry, black chokeberry