Plants: Aronia melanocarpa - black chokeberry

Recently, less known fruit trees and shrubs are becoming more and more popular mainly thanks to their original taste as well as positive impact on our health. Black chokeberry is one of them. It is in the same rosaceae family as the service tree and its fruit is similar, too. The lustrous fruits are black, slightly larger than black currant, contain vitamin C and other important microelements such as ferrum and iodine. They can be eaten fresh, in fruit salads or sundaes, or processed as stewed fruit, preserves, juices, wines, they are excellent dried.

Fruits can be harvested gradually from September to October as they last on the tree/shrub without rotting for a long time. Chokeberry is commonly a shrub 1.5-2m tall, or grafted on half standard. It has medium to dark green glossy leaves which makes it an excellent choice for hedges. Its autumn colour is somewhat a bonus – from deep orange to bright carmine red. It is self-fertile and needs no pruning to encourage fruiting. Chokeberry is soil tolerant and fully hardy.