How to Grow and Care for Saskatoon Serviceberry

The Saskatoon serviceberry is found throughout the North, Central, and Midwestern United States, including Alaska, as well as in western Canada. The shrub provides three seasons of visual interest, starting with fragrant, pendulous white blossoms in the spring that attract butterflies. The juicy purple berries in summer, also called juneberries, are beloved by birds. In the fall the leaves turn from bluish-green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow.

Growing 1 to 2 feet per year, this native shrub has a moderate growth rate. Bare-root plants should be planted in early spring and potted nursery-grown plants can be planted in the spring or fall.

Saskatoon Serviceberry Care

Here are the main care requirements for growing a Saskatoon serviceberry:

• Plant it in a location with full sun or partial shade and slightly acidic, well-draining soil.
• Water established plants only during extended periods of drought and hot summer weather.
• For fertilizer, a layer of compost around the base is usually sufficient.
• Prune the shrub during dormancy in late winter or early spring to maintain the desired shape and size. Remove any suckers as they appear.

Light

The Saskatoon serviceberry does equally well in full sun or partial sun. It should get a minimum of four hours of direct light per day to ensure proper fruiting of its berries in summer.

Soil

This shrub grows best in a slightly acidic (pH between 5.5 and 7.0) and moist soil that offers good drainage. It will tolerate alkaline and clay soil but struggles in wet soil.

If the root system becomes exposed over time, add some topsoil around the base.

Water

This shrub doesn't have any special water needs beyond normal rainfall and it is relatively drought-tolerant. In extended periods of drought, however, lasting more than two weeks, or more than a week with daily temperatures over 85 degrees F, a deep watering at the base of the shrub will help keep it healthy. Prolonged drought may affect the production of berries.

Temperature and Humidity

Saskatoon serviceberry is a very cold-hardy shrub that survives winter temperatures as low as -40 degrees F. It does not do well in climates with hot summers and high humidity.

Fertilizer

The shrub does not require regular fertilization but benefits from the application of a 1-inch layer of compost around the base of the plant every spring. If the soil is poor, apply a complete balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 in the spring when buds break.

Types of Saskatoon Serviceberry

There are several cultivars of Saskatoon serviceberry, including:

• ‘Regent’ is a spreading, vase-shaped variety that grows only 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.
• ‘Standing Ovation' is an upright, multi-stemmed shrub with an almost oval shape, growing 12 to 15 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide.
• ‘Northline’ works best as a hedge because of its profuse suckering. It grows 5 to 7 feet tall.
• ‘Altaglow’ is hardy in Zone 1 and the hardiest serviceberry around. This narrow, conical, multi-stemmed shrub grows over 20 feet tall.
• 'Smokey' is a high-yielding cultivar favored for its 3/4 inch blue-black sweet fruit, which is considered the most flavorful serviceberry. The multi-stemmed shrub grows up to 12 feet tall.

Pruning

During the first three years, serviceberry rarely needs pruning other than to remove dead, diseased, or broken branches at any time. To control the height and shape of more mature shrubs, prune them in the late winter or early spring during dormancy.

Over time, the shrub forms colonies. If that is not desired, keep an eye out for root suckers and trim them to keep growth under control.

Propagating Saskatoon Serviceberry

The shrub can be propagated from seeds, suckers, cuttings, or by division. Using cuttings or suckers are the two easiest and fastest propagation methods that also ensure the new plant is true to the parent. To propagate Saskatoon serviceberry from a softwood cutting follow these steps:

1. In late spring or early summer, take a 4-inch cutting of the current’s season flexible new growth. Remove the lower leaves, keeping just a couple at the top of the stem.
2. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone.
3. Fill a 4-inch pot with a sterile, well-draining growing medium and insert the cutting in the soil with the leaves above soil level.
4. Alternatively, regularly mist to keep evenly moist.
5. Place the cutting in a spot with bright but indirect light away from direct sun.
6. Water at least daily to keep the soil moist at all times. Mist the cutting in dry weather.
7. After a few weeks, gently wiggle the cutting; if it does not move, roots have formed. Move it to a sunny location and keep it well-watered for at least a couple of months before transplanting it in its permanent location.

Potting and Repotting Saskatoon Serviceberry

If you would like to plant serviceberry in a container, select a smaller, compact variety such as ‘Regent’. Tall varieties are more likely to topple over.

Choose a pot with large drainage holes and fill it with a combination of potting mix and compost. Keep in mind that potted plants need more frequent watering than shrubs in the landscape.

Although Saskatoon serviceberry is very winter-hardy, potted plants need winterization because in containers, the roots are not sufficiently insulated from the cold. Either bury the container in the ground in the fall or place it inside an insulation silo for the winter.

Repot the shrub when its root system fills the pots. Since it is a relatively slow grower, repotting is usually not required more often than every two to three years.

Overwintering

Saskatoon serviceberry is a very hardy plant. Unless the shrub is grown in a container, it does not need any winter protection.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

There are a few pests to be aware of with this shrub, including fireblight, mildew, rust, fungal leaf spots, and cankers. Rabbits and mice may also enjoy chewing on the bark; one natural cure for this is spraying with a solution of water with shaved Irish Spring soap (dissolve one shaved bar into one quart hot water, then dilute with two gallons on water; shake before using).

How to Get Saskatoon Serviceberry to Bloom

Bloom Months

Saskatoon serviceberry blooms in May or June.

How Long Does Saskatoon Serviceberry Bloom?

The bloom period is quite short, only about one week, and even shorter in windy or warm weather.

What Do Saskatoon Serviceberry Flowers Look and Smell Like?

The small white flowers grow in drooping clusters. They have a light, sweet fragrance.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Serviceberries take several years until they start blooming. Flowers develop on stems that are two to four years old and there is nothing to be done to coax them into blooming. Keep pruning at a minimum and don't remove any stems unless necessary so you don't accidentally remove flowering stems. Also, make sure that the shrub gets full sun and the soil is slightly acidic (do a soil pH test if in doubt).

Caring for Saskatoon Serviceberry After It Blooms

Leave the flowers untouched after the bloom to let them develop into berries, either as food for birds or for yourself.

From: thespruce