The Juneberry or saskatoon is a native fruitbearing shrub of the Northern Great Plains with its range extending northward through the Canadian prairie provinces into the southern Yukon and Northwest Territories. This extremely adaptable plant will grow under a wide range of climatic conditions. The Juneberry is one of over 25 species of Amelanchier found in North America. Three plant forms are native in North Dakota, but separation is difficult. The fruit is borne in clusters of six to 12 and mature to a purple, red or almost black color.
Some ornamental cultivars have cream colored fruit.
Eaten fresh, the fruits are tasty and may also be used for wine, home canning, fresh frozen, in pies, jams and fruit rolls. Juneberries are attractive as an ornamental shrub or may be trimmed as a hedge. There is growing interest in the Juneberry as a commercial fruit crop for the fresh fruit market, commercial processing and freezing industries. Several Amelanchier species are used for game range restoration and wildlife plantings, windbreak plantings, and low maintenance or native plant landscaping. Planting and Production Juneberries will grow in all types of soil, except poorly drained heavy clay soils lacking in humus, and several named cultivars are available from prairie nurseries.