Martin Saskatoon (Serviceberry) vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Martin Saskatoon (Serviceberry) vs Bilberry

Vaccinium myrtillus

Amelanchier alnifolia Martin

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Bilberry
Martin Saskatoon (Serviceberry)

American Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub known for its clusters of small black berries that ripen in mid-to-late summer. The berries are edible and have long been used for fresh eating, preserves, and baking. They provide food for birds and mammals, and their fragrant spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

American Black Currant’s foliage serves as a host plant for butterfly species such as the Green Comma and Gray Comma, and its dense branching offers cover for wildlife. The shrub has traditionally been planted in shelterbelts, riparian buffers, and restoration projects.

Martin Saskatoon is a prairie hardy shrub. The berries have a large size and a delicious taste. This species has consistent yield, making it great for both orchards and small gardens. The berries ripen uniformly, making them convenient for machine harvesting.

Bilberry Quick Facts

Martin Saskatoon (Serviceberry) Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 5 m (16 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: low

Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses

Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: summer
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Berries: produces large edible berries
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, YT, NT
Other Names: common bilberry, dwarf bilberry, low bilberry, myrtille, myrtle blueberry, myrtle whortleberry, whortleberry
Other Names: alder-leaf shadbush, dwarf shadbush, pacific serviceberry, pigeon berry, western juneberry, western serviceberry