Amelanchier trees
Amelanchiers are popular small trees with attractive white blossom and multiple autumn leaf colours.
Amelanchier lamarckii
This small shrub-like tree has perhaps the strongest autumn display of any Amelanchier.£74.50buy- Flowering month: April
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Amelanchier lamarckiiBallerina
A popular tree-like Amelanchier with white blossom and good autumn leaf colours.£74.50buy- Flowering month: April
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
- Awards: RHS AGM (former)
Amelanchier x grandifloraLa Paloma
La Paloma has exuberant white blossom, and coppery young leaves which turn orange and red in autumn,£74.50buy- Flowering month: April
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
AmelanchierObelisk®
Obelisk is an upright Amelanchier, with white spring blossom, and attractive autumn colours, ideal for small spaces.£74.50buy- Flowering month: May
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour - autumn: Multiple tints
Amelanchier alnifoliaR J Hilton
R J Hilton features large white flowers, copper-coloured young leaves, and attractive autumn leaf colours.- Flowering month: April
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour - autumn: Yellow / Crimson
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Amelanchier laevisRainbow Pillar®
An upright columnar Amelanchier with white blossom and good autumn colours.Amelanchier canadensisRobin Hill
An upright Amelanchier with pink buds opening to snow white flowers, with good autumn colours.- Flowering month: April
- Flower colour: White
- Flower colour: Pink - light
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
- Awards: RHS AGM (current)
Amelanchier x grandifloraSnowflakes
A popular Amelanchier, featuring large single flowers, coppery foliage, and good autumn colours.£74.50buy- Flowering month: April
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour - autumn: Orange / Red
Amelanchier laevis
How to choose Amelanchier trees
Amelanchiers are primarily grown for their attractive spring blossom and the autumnal tints of their leaves. They are also known as Snowy Mespilus and Serviceberry.
Most Amelanchiers will produce blueberry-like fruits over the summer, although they are not related to blueberries. The species Amelanchier alnifolia has the best fruiting potential, these varieties are often sold as Saskatoons.
Amelanchiers are generally very cold-hardy. They will grow in most well-drained soils - but avoid clay or water-logged soils. They prefer neutral or slightly acidic conditions, but will tolerate slightly alkaline soils.
The flowers, which appear during May, are susceptible to frost damage, so avoid planting in areas prone to late frosts.
Although capable of reaching heights of up to 4m (particularly the species Amelanchier lamarckii and Amelanchier laevis), Amelanchiers will also readily become multi-stemmed shrubs.
Amelanchiers have small leaves and as a result do not cast much shade, making them a good choice for smaller gardens where light is at a premium. The small leaves also means they are tolerant of windy situations.
Most of our Amelanchiers are grafted on Amelanchier laevis rootstocks to give a uniform specification. Amelanchiers are distantly related to Sorbus (Rowan) and Crataegus (Hawthorn) and can sometimes be grafted on rootstocks of those species.
The various species of Amelanchier are often quite similar. The American species Amelanchier canadensis and European species Amelanchier larmackii are a particular case in point, being almost indistinguishable for practical purposes, and it is likely that Amelanchier larmackii is a hybrid of the American species.