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| ## black chokeberry {#black-chokeberry .Title-Header}                 |
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| *Aronia melanocarpa* (Michx.) Ell.                                    |
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| Plant Symbol = ARME6                                                  |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS Bismarck Plant Materials Center

### 

##### Alternate Names  {#alternate-names .Header-3}

Aronia, *Pyrus melanocarpa. Photinia melanocarpa.*

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

*Landscaping:* Black chokeberry is a deciduous, cold-hardy shrub useful
in landscape plantings, showing white flowers in the spring and colorful
red foliage and heavy, dark fruit in the fall.

*Wildlife:* Plants are browsed by white-tailed deer and rabbits. The
fruit are eaten by ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie
chickens.

*Economic:* Aronia berries can be canned whole or the juice extracted
for jelly making, as well as healthful fruit drinks. The juice contains
high levels of anthocyanins (source of red color) and flavonoids. The
strong, stable natural color is useful in the food industry. This plant
is extensively grown in Europe, where yields of up to 38 pounds of fruit
per bush have been reported.

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

##### ![Color image of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa).](media/image2.png){width="2.177165354330709in" height="2.1354330708661418in"}Description {#color-image-of-black-chokeberry-aronia-melanocarpa.description .Header-3}

*General*: A member of the Rose family, black chokeberry is a deciduous
shrub which can grow to a height of 3 to 6 feet tall. The fine-toothed
leaves are medium green and hairless, with raised glands along the top
of the midrib. In spring, the white bisexual flowers form clusters that
are 2 to 2 ½ inches across. The primary pollinators are small bees. As
the seasons progress, the trees turn a deep glossy green. In mid to late
summer the fruit begins to form. As the pea-sized fruit ripens, it
darkens to a purplish-black color. The fruit are pomes which will begin
to drop from the plants shortly after ripening. The fruits are quite
juicy, but will begin to shrivel up after ripening. The juice and seeds
are deep purple in color. There are 1 to 5 small seeds per pome.

*Distribution*: Black chokeberry is native to the Great Lakes region and
the Northeastern U.S., with a southerly extension into the higher
elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. It is hardy to zone 3. For
current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this
species on the PLANTS Web site.

*Habitat*: Moist woods, but also occurs in drier thickets or clearings
on bluffs or cliffs.

##### Adaptation {#adaptation .Header-3}

The black chokeberry grows well in full sunlight, but is moderately
tolerant of shade. The best growth and fruit production occurs on low
moist but well-drained sites, in full sun. It is not drought-tolerant.
New shoots will grow up around established plants, filling in the space
between plants like a hedgerow. Some of these shoots are the result of
layering.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Nursery grown seedlings establish readily if planted free of competing
vegetation, in locations having 15 inches or more of annual
precipitation. Bareroot seedlings should be planted in the spring, once
the threat of frost is over. Containerized stock may be planted from
spring to the middle of summer, if there is adequate moisture. The
optimum spacing is 4 to 6 feet between plants. If plants are to be used
for fruit production, 10-foot spacing gives more room and light to each
plant.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

Control of invading weeds and grasses is important. Shallow cultivation
works best. Cultivation can also be used to stop the spread of shoots
and suckers, if that is a concern. Some references report frequent
suckering. Very little if any suckering has been noticed on chokeberry
in windbreaks in the Northern Plains. Thinning of older stems is
recommended every few years.

##### Pests and Potential Problems {#pests-and-potential-problems .Header-3}

Black chokeberry appears to have very few disease and pest problems.
Mildew can become a problem when plants do not receive adequate sunlight
and air circulation.

#####  {#section-1 .Header-3}

##### Seeds and Plant Production {#seeds-and-plant-production .Header-3}

##### Reproduction is primarily by seed. The seeds are small, being slightly more than 1/16 inch long. There are about 276,000 seeds per pound, and about 100 pounds of fruit is needed to produce a pound of seed. Once the fruit is harvested in the fall, it should be cleaned. For small amounts of fruit, a kitchen blender can be used to macerate the fruit. For larger amounts of fruit, a commercial macerator similar to a Dybvig® macerator does a good job of crushing the fruit. Quite a bit of pulp can be removed by floating it off. After the seed and remaining pulp have been thoroughly dried, hand screens or a fanning mill can be used to separate the seed from the remaining dried pulp. {#reproduction-is-primarily-by-seed.-the-seeds-are-small-being-slightly-more-than-116-inch-long.-there-are-about-276000-seeds-per-pound-and-about-100-pounds-of-fruit-is-needed-to-produce-a-pound-of-seed.-once-the-fruit-is-harvested-in-the-fall-it-should-be-cleaned.-for-small-amounts-of-fruit-a-kitchen-blender-can-be-used-to-macerate-the-fruit.-for-larger-amounts-of-fruit-a-commercial-macerator-similar-to-a-dybvig-macerator-does-a-good-job-of-crushing-the-fruit.-quite-a-bit-of-pulp-can-be-removed-by-floating-it-off.-after-the-seed-and-remaining-pulp-have-been-thoroughly-dried-hand-screens-or-a-fanning-mill-can-be-used-to-separate-the-seed-from-the-remaining-dried-pulp. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-2 .Header-3}

##### Chokeberry seeds have an internal dormancy that can be overcome by being stratified in moist peat for three months between 33°F and 41°F. For nursery scale production of seedlings, it is recommended that the seed be sown in September. The best germination occurs from seed that has been cleaned. Poor germination results from seed that has not been separated from the pulp. {#chokeberry-seeds-have-an-internal-dormancy-that-can-be-overcome-by-being-stratified-in-moist-peat-for-three-months-between-33f-and-41f.-for-nursery-scale-production-of-seedlings-it-is-recommended-that-the-seed-be-sown-in-september.-the-best-germination-occurs-from-seed-that-has-been-cleaned.-poor-germination-results-from-seed-that-has-not-been-separated-from-the-pulp. .Header-3}

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

At the present time there are no commercial varieties available for
conservation plantings. Conservation grade stock is available from some
conservation nurseries in the upper Midwest.

Though black chokeberry is native to eastern North America, it has been
planted extensively in Europe and Asia. In Russia, Denmark and eastern
Europe the fruit is widely used for juice and wine production. The
Europeans have developed several varieties which are now available in
the U.S. from commercial nurseries. '**Viking**' is a vigorous,
productive variety from Scandinavia, which can grow to a height of six
feet. '**Nero**' is a shorter growing variety, reaching a height of 3 to
4 feet, with dark blue berries. In the U.S., a selection from a native
source in Michigan is being sold as '**Morton**' black chokeberry. It is
marketed in the Midwest under the trademark Iroquois Beauty™.

##### Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of Agriculture." {#contact-your-local-natural-resources-conservation-service-formerly-soil-conservation-service-office-for-more-information.-look-in-the-phone-book-under-united-states-government.-the-natural-resources-conservation-service-will-be-listed-under-the-subheading-department-of-agriculture. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-3 .Header-3}

##### References {#references .Header-3}

##### Gill, J.D., F.L. Pogge and F.T. Bonner. *Aronia Medik*. In: Woody Plant Seed Manual ([**http://ntsl.fs.fed.us/wpsm/**](http://ntsl.fs.fed.us/wpsm/)) \[online: cited 1 March 2005\] {#gill-j.d.-f.l.-pogge-and-f.t.-bonner.-aronia-medik.-in-woody-plant-seed-manual-httpntsl.fs.fed.uswpsm-online-cited-1-march-2005 .Header-3}

#####  {#section-4 .Header-3}

##### Hardin, J.W. 1973. *The enigmatic chokeberries*. Bull. Torr Club 100:178-184 {#hardin-j.w.-1973.-the-enigmatic-chokeberries.-bull.-torr-club-100178-184 .Header-3}

#####  {#section-5 .Header-3}

##### Morgenson, G. 2005. Personal communication. Lincoln-Oakes Nursery, Bismarck. {#morgenson-g.-2005.-personal-communication.-lincoln-oakes-nursery-bismarck. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-6 .Header-3}

##### Petrides, G.A. 1958. *A field guide to trees and shrubs*. The Riverside Press, Cambridge. {#petrides-g.a.-1958.-a-field-guide-to-trees-and-shrubs.-the-riverside-press-cambridge. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-7 .Header-3}

##### Smith, D. and C. Ringenberg. *Aronia berries* ([**http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/foods/nf581.htm**](http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/foods/nf581.htm)) \[online: cited 4 November 2004\]. Nebraska Cooperative Extension NF03-581. {#smith-d.-and-c.-ringenberg.-aronia-berries-httpianrpubs.unl.edufoodsnf581.htm-online-cited-4-november-2004.-nebraska-cooperative-extension-nf03-581. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-8 .Header-3}

##### Van Dersal, W.R. 1938. *Native woody plants of the United States*. Miscellaneous publication No. 303. United States Department of Agriculture, Washington. {#van-dersal-w.r.-1938.-native-woody-plants-of-the-united-states.-miscellaneous-publication-no.-303.-united-states-department-of-agriculture-washington. .Header-3}

##### Prepared By & Species Coordinator: {#prepared-by-species-coordinator .Header-3}

*Michael Knudson*

USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Bismarck, ND

##### Edited: 04Mar2005 MJK; 06Apr2005 RLN; 060802 jsp {#edited-04mar2005-mjk-06apr2005-rln-060802-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
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orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
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large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD).*

*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.*

*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
Service](http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/civilrights/).*