Start growing
Highly adaptable to both wet and dry sites. Prefers full sun for best fruit production.
GROW SOMETHING WONDERFUL
Aronia
Aronia melanocarpa
Your guide to planting, growing, and getting to know this plant.
THE PLANT NOTEBOOK
Aronia care, from seed onward.
- Botanical name
- Aronia melanocarpa
- Common names
- Black Chokeberry
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Genus
- Aronia
- Species
- A. melanocarpa
Growing with your kit
The Seeds In A Cup® kit provides the perfect environment for these 'super-berry' seeds to establish strong roots.
Propagation
By seed, cuttings, or suckers.
Seasonal growth & harvest
Berries mature in late summer and are known for their high antioxidant content.
Growing conditions
Wetlands, swamps, and moist thickets.
Weather & tolerances
Extremely cold hardy; salt and pollution tolerant.
Pests & plant health
Generally pest-free; occasional leaf spot.
Plant safety
Safe; berries are very astringent when raw (hence 'chokeberry').
Botanical features
A deciduous shrub with glossy green leaves that turn brilliant red in fall. Features clusters of white flowers and deep purple berries.
Varieties
‘Viking’, ‘Nero’ (Large fruit types).
Garden & everyday uses
Juices, jams, and wine. One of the highest sources of anthocyanins (antioxidants) in nature
Native range & distribution
Native to Eastern North America.
Conservation
Secure.
Name origins
Derived from the Greek ‘aria’, the name for the mountain-ash, which Aronia resembles.
History
Used by indigenous peoples for medicine and to flavor pemmican.