Smoky Saskatoon (Serviceberry) vs Silverberry (Wolf Willow) - TreeTime.ca

Smoky Saskatoon (Serviceberry) vs Silverberry (Wolf Willow)

Amelanchier alnifolia Smoky

Elaeagnus commutata

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Smoky Saskatoon (Serviceberry)
Silverberry (Wolf Willow)

Smoky Saskatoon is a large deciduous shrub that suckers and produces edible fruit. Smoky Saskatoons are one of the most productive and widely used Saskatoons and have large sweet berries with good yields.

One of the oldest and first good yielding cultivars, a majority of the commercial saskatoon orchards were based on this cultivar until Northline and other cultivars were introduced.

Smoky has slightly smaller fruit than Northline and a milder taste but is not acidic like Pembina, Thiessen or Honeywood.

Silverberry (also known as Wolf Willow) is a common native North American shrub. This beautiful ornamental plant has characteristic silver leaves and fragrant yellow flowers.

Its silver berries remain on the branches through the winter. Silverberry is cold hardy and has some ability as a nitrogen fixer. It can grow on dry to moist sandy/gravel soils. This plant is very low maintenance.

Smoky Saskatoon (Serviceberry) Quick Facts

Silverberry (Wolf Willow) Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 1a
Height: 4 m (14 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: high


Foliage: silvery leaves
Fall colour: orange to red
Flowers: yellow
Berries: produces large edible berries great for eating raw
Berries: silver, edible
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, YT, NT
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: alder-leaf shadbush, dwarf shadbush, pacific serviceberry, pigeon berry, smokey saskatoon, smokey serviceberry, western juneberry, western serviceberry
Other Names: american silverberry, silver berry, wolf willow