Smoky Saskatoon (Serviceberry) vs Cherry Prinsepia - TreeTime.ca

Smoky Saskatoon (Serviceberry) vs Cherry Prinsepia

Amelanchier alnifolia Smoky

Prinsepia sinensis

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

CUSTOM GROW

Smoky Saskatoon (Serviceberry)
Cherry Prinsepia

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.

Cherry Prinsepia is an attractive, cold hardy shrub with thorny stems and a rounded shape.

Primarily used for its shrub and hedge characteristics, Cherry Prinsepia is also grown for its ornamental fruit. Tart in flavor, the red berries are edible and enjoyed by birds and humans alike.

If deer are an issue on your property, try planting Cherry Prinsepia in a tight row to create a dense hedge to deter them.

Smoky Saskatoon (Serviceberry) Quick Facts

Cherry Prinsepia Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3b
Height: 4 m (14 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: none


Fall colour: orange to red
Flowers: yellow-white
Fruit: showy, red cherries
Berries: produces large edible berries great for eating raw
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, YT, NT
Other Names: alder-leaf shadbush, dwarf shadbush, pacific serviceberry, pigeon berry, smokey saskatoon, smokey serviceberry, western juneberry, western serviceberry