Amelanchier x grandiflora
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −34.4 °C
Cultivation
Prefers a rich loamy soil in a sunny position or semi-shade. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers an acid or neutral soil. Plants are hardy to about -25°c. All members of this genus have edible fruits and, whilst this is dry and uninteresting in some species, in many others it is sweet and juicy. Many of the species have potential for use in the garden as edible ornamentals. The main draw-back to this genus is that birds adore the fruit and will often completely strip a tree before it is fully ripe[K]. This species is occasionally cultivated for its edible fruits, there are some named varieties. Considerable confusion has existed between this species, A. arborea, A. canadensis, A. lamarckii and A. laevis, see [11 and 200] for the latest (1991) classification. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus.
Propagation
Seed - it is best harvested 'green', when the seed is fully formed but before the seed coat has hardened, and then sown immediately in pots outdoors or in a cold frame. If stored seed is obtained early enough in the autumn, it can be given 4 weeks warm stratification before being left out in the winter and it should then germinate in the spring. Otherwise seed can be very slow to germinate, perhaps taking 18 months or more. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a sheltered outdoor position, planting them out once they are 20cm or more tall. If there is sufficient seed it is best to sow it thinly in an outdoor seedbed. Grow the seedlings on for two years in the seedbed before planting them out into their permanent positions during the winter. Layering in spring - takes 18 months. Division of suckers in late winter. The suckers need to have been growing for 2 years before you dig them up, otherwise they will not have formed roots. They can be planted out straight into their permanent positions if required.
Edible uses
Edible fruit - raw or cooked.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Native range
A hybrid of garden origin, A. arborea x A. laevis.