Photinia melanocarpa (Black Chokeberry)

A confirmed New Jersey native and genuine four-season performer, black chokeberry is a documented larval host for the Coral Hairstreak butterfly and two named moth species, while its "superfruit" berries are prized for their high antioxidant content by both wildlife and foragers.

Species Overview

Photinia melanocarpa (also classified as Aronia melanocarpa), or black chokeberry, is a hardy deciduous shrub native to eastern North America, reaching 3 to 8 feet tall. It produces clusters of small white flowers with deep red anthers in late spring, followed by glossy black, antioxidant-rich berries in late summer, with foliage turning bright yellow, orange, and red in fall.

Application

• Wildlife hedgerows and native shrub borders - confirmed New Jersey native
• Wet-to-dry restoration sites - highly adaptable to soil moisture
• Larval host habitat for the Coral Hairstreak butterfly and two named moths
• Superfruit/foraging plantings - antioxidant-rich berries

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Any soil type, wet to dry; pH 5.0-8.0
• Plant Type: Shrub
• Mature Height: 4-8 ft.
• Fall Color: Yellow, Orange, Red
• Bloom Color / Period: White; April-June
• Wetland Indicator Status: FAC (Facultative)
• Native Range: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (full list)
• Hydrology: Mesic-Moist
• Root Depth: Moderate (12-24 in.)
• Salinity Tolerance: Low
• Growth Rate: Moderate
• Drought Tolerance: Moderate
• Flood Tolerance: Moderate - Chokeberries are commonly found in wet thickets and bog margins in addition to drier upland sites; tolerates periodically wet soil.
• Shade Tolerance: Intermediate
• Growth Habit: Multi-stemmed/Thicket-forming - suckering
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
• Deer Resistance: Some
• Pollinator Value: Larval host, supports bees, supports butterflies, supports moths

Planting Guidance

• Slowly suckering, eventually forming a thicket that provides desirable bird shelter; berries persist into winter as a food source for returning birds in early spring.