Common Saskatoon (Serviceberry) vs Bilberry - TreeTime.ca

Common Saskatoon (Serviceberry) vs Bilberry

Vaccinium myrtillus

Amelanchier alnifolia

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Bilberry
Common 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.

Common Saskatoon is a native shrub that's famous for its great-tasting fruit. The berries are terrific for fresh eating and cooking. The Saskatoon bush itself can be quite large and produces an abundance of fruit. Saskatoons are hardy and can tolerate partial shade and a variety of growing conditions.

Bilberry Quick Facts

Common Saskatoon (Serviceberry) Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: low growing, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - medium
Suckering: medium

Toxicity: leaves may be unsafe in high doses

Flowers: white or pink, bell-shaped
Bloom time: summer
Berries: round bluish-purple berries, edible
Berries: purple-blue
Firmness: firm
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: common serviceberry, wild saskatoon, wild serviceberry