Photinia pyrifolia (Red Chokeberry)

A confirmed New Jersey native with genuine year-round garden value, red chokeberry pairs showy, winter-persistent berries with confirmed larval host status for both the Hessel's Hairstreak butterfly and the Precious Underwing Moth - tolerant of everything from wet boggy ground to salt exposure.

Species Overview

Photinia pyrifolia (also classified as Aronia arbutifolia), or red chokeberry, is a wildlife-friendly, multiple-stemmed deciduous shrub native to eastern North America, reaching 6 to 12 feet tall. It produces clusters of white to light pink flowers in April, followed by showy red berries that persist through winter, with foliage turning bright red in fall.

Application

• Wildlife hedgerows and native shrub borders - confirmed New Jersey native
• Wet, boggy, and swamp-margin restoration
• Larval host habitat for Hessel's Hairstreak and the Precious Underwing Moth
• Salt-exposed and winter-interest plantings

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

• Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Wide range, wet and boggy to dry; tolerant of a variety of soils
• Plant Type: Shrub
• Mature Height: 8-15 ft.
• Fall Color: Red
• Bloom Color / Period: Pink, White; April-May
• Wetland Indicator Status: FACW (Facultative Wetland)
• Native Range: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (full list)
• Hydrology: Moist-Wet
• 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: 4-9
• Deer Resistance: Some
• Pollinator Value: Larval host, supports butterflies, supports moths

Planting Guidance

• Suckers to form colonies - well suited as a native shrub border; reddish-brown exfoliating bark and persistent red berries add genuine winter interest.