Chokeberry
Purple Chokeberry
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Maloideae Genus: Aronia
Species
Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Pers. Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott

The Chokeberries (Aronia) are two species of deciduous shrubs in the family Rosaceae, native to eastern North America. The two species are readily distinguished by their fruit colour, from which the common names derive. The leaves are alternate, simple, and with crenate margins; in autumn the leaves turn a bold red colour. The flowers are small, with 5 petals, and produced in corymbs of 10-25 together. The fruit is a small pome, with a very astringent, bitter flavour; it is eaten by birds (birds do not taste astringency and feed on them readily), which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. The name "chokeberry" comes from the astringency of the fruit, which are inedible raw.

Red Chokeberry, Aronia arbutifolia, grows to 2-4 m tall, rarely up to 6 m, with leaves 5-8 cm long. The flowers are white or pale pink, 1 cm diameter, and the fruit red, 4-7 mm diameter.

Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, tends to be smaller, rarely exceeding 1 m tall, rarely 3 m, and spreads readily by root sprouts. The leaves are smaller, not more than 6 cm long. The flowers are white, 1.5 cm diameter, and the fruit black, 6-9 mm diameter.

The two species can hybridise, giving the Purple Chokeberry, Aronia x prunifolia. It is intermediate between the parents, having purple berries.

Uses

The chokeberries are attractive ornamental plants for gardens. They are naturally understory and woodland edge plants, and grow well when planted under trees. Several cultivars have been developed for garden planting, including A. arbutifolia, "Brilliant", selected for its striking fall leaf colour, and A. melanocarpa, "Viking" and "Nero", selected for larger fruit suitable for jam-making. The shrub has a reputation for toughness. Juice from these berries is however high in Vitamin C, and the berries can be used to make juice, wine and jam after cooking. It is also used as a soft drink flavoring.