Red Osier Dogwood vs Aronia Berry - TreeTime.ca

Red Osier Dogwood vs Aronia Berry

Cornus sericea

Aronia melanocarpa

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Red Osier Dogwood
Aronia Berry

Red Osier Dogwood is a small deciduous shrub that features deep red stems and twigs year-round, with creamy white flowers in the spring. This shrub will add a nice pop of color to your yard.

Red Osier Dogwood is an excellent soil stabilizer. It is fast growing and becomes drought tolerant once well established.

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.

Red Osier Dogwood Quick Facts

Aronia Berry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium


Fall colour: dark red
Fall colour: red to orange color
Bark: dark red, showy
Flowers: white
Flowers: whitish-pink
Berries: white waxy
Berries: small black berries, edible
Flavor: astringent
Harvest: late summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no

In row spacing: 0.9 m (3 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Other Names: american dogwood, california dogwood, creek dogwood, dogberry tree, red dogwood, red twig dogwood, redosier dogwood, redstem dogwood, western dogwood
Other Names: black choke berry, black chokeberry