North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Richard Kruse" <richkrus@gvtel.com>]

I will start by quoting Michael A. Dirr from his Manual of Woody Landscape
Plants in his section on Amelanchier:  (I agree with his observations and
conclusion)

"ADDITIONAL NOTES: The Amelanchier species as a group make excellent
landscape plants. They offer season interest and excellent edible fruit. To
my mind and stomach, a serviceberry pie is the rival of the best blueberry
pie. The serviceberries are difficult to separate and are confused in the
nursery profess unless flowers and developing leaves are present it is
impossible to accurately separate A. arborea A.canadensis, A. Iaevis, and A.
x grandiflora.  Amelanchier arborea is native to the Piedmont woods of
Georgia and is one of the first shrubs/trees to flower.  Considering the
wide spread range of adaptability of the Amelanchier species, it is
surprising they are not more commonly used."

Note that he does not list A. Alnifolia.  This is commonly the Sasketoon and
maybe even Juneberry.  Regent, is of this species and was found near Regent,
North Dakota.  These species are all of the rose family as are the pear,
apple, cotoneaster shrub, and mountain ash. These all have been used in
grafting experiments with cotoneaster being used most in the alnifolia
field.

I have found what I call A. Laevis growing with blueberries and I am growing
transplants and seedling of these trees here where I can't grow blueberries
because of ph.  My Ballerina is not of anything noteworhy here in Zone 3.
My transplant of A. Laevis has as good fall color as Autumn Brilliance and
the fruit is better.

It goes without saying that as far as yield is concerned it is hard to beat
Smokies, and Regent.  Pembina does not meet the taste standard.

The best tasting Juneberry to my mind is the one advertized as growing only
four feet tall sold out of the Bloomington nurseries which here in Northern
MN grow 12 feet high.

Richard Kruse
Zone 3 TRF Mn