Not Blueberries Or Raspberries: The Summer Berry Tree Colorado Pollinators Love

Wringing out three benefits from the same plant is better than one. Or, so you hope while growing berry-producing plants, like blueberries and raspberries. Not only do they produce edible fruit that you can pluck at your convenience, but they also hold ornate appeal and lure in pollinators. Sadly, growing blueberries successfully in Colorado is a tough endeavor, as the soil is too alkaline, while raspberries can be a hit or a miss if you aren't growing the right variety or fail to water these thirsty plants adequately. So, to keep yourself and the local pollinators delighted, grow serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.).

Offering four-season interest, serviceberry kicks off the growing season through sprays of sweetly fragrant, lilac-like, white cottony flowers when it's still leafing out. Although the flowering period lasts only two weeks, it starts early in spring, attracting pollinating bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds while other plants gradually awake from their winter slumber. But the blue-black berries — technically pomes — are the main draw. Appearing in mid-summer or June in some places, which has earned them the moniker "Juneberry," they feed a range of birds, including bluebirds, chickadees, goldfinches, grosbeaks, juncos, orioles, and woodpeckers. 

However, if raccoons, chipmunks, bears, or squirrels are present in your area, expect their presence, too. Foliage spared by the caterpillars of spring azure, swallowtail, and striped hairstreak butterflies (after they've metamorphosed) turns a gorgeous mélange of bronze, burgundy, and orange, becoming the fall highlight of your yard. In winter, their gray bark offers visual appeal.

Since pollinators are most familiar with trees growing naturally in your area, you're more likely to benefit them by growing native trees. Of the 18 serviceberry species native to North America, Saskatoon serviceberry (A. alnifolia) and Utah serviceberry (A. utahensis) are indigenous to Colorado. However, their propensity to cross-pollinate has also given rise to a range of natural hybrids.

While you can plant either of the two to attract birds to your yard and garden, since they aren't too fussy about the taste, Saskatoon serviceberry may offer the biggest bang for the buck if you're looking to grow your own fruit. In fact, this plant is cultivated commercially as a superfruit in the Canadian province of Saskatoon. It not only matches blueberries in appearance, but upstages them in taste, as it comes across as a slightly apple and rose-flavored, sweeter blueberry. And if you consume it along with the crunchy seeds (present in fewer numbers than in raspberries), you'll also notice notes of almonds, too.

Perennially hardy in zones 4 through 9, Saskatoon serviceberry can handle alkaline soils, drought, and salt, and is especially great around the rocky areas at higher elevations. Utah serviceberry, in contrast, doesn't tolerate salt. But it showcases excellent drought and heat resistance because it's native to arid areas. That being said, rather than straight species, many nurseries keep cultivars instead, as they've been selected for superior ornamental traits. To maintain a pollinator-friendly landscape, stick to cultivars that bloom and fruit profusely, like 'Regent,' 'Smokey,' or 'Thiessen.'

Like most fruit-bearing plants, serviceberries require full sun exposure to produce the best blooms and fruits (though these trees will grow well and remain productive in some shade). While they can tolerate most soil conditions, they'll struggle in heavy and poorly-draining soils, as they require excellent drainage. As mentioned, they can handle dry spells, though their fruit production will take a hit if they remain underwatered for long.

Serviceberries are considered self-fruitful, so you can get by planting a lone specimen if the space is limited. However, if there's a lot of wildlife pressure or when you wish to maximize production, it's best to plant at least two different specimens in proximity. Another phenomenon that is all too common to serviceberries is the alternating fruiting cycle. This means you may experience a bumper crop in one year but a low output in the next. To better manage this, you'll have to prune serviceberries, as they produce on old wood. Since they usually assume a shrubby form, you may trim them to a more desirable form or get rid of multiple stems to weave a single-stemmed tree shape.

Although serviceberries don't take as much damage from pests and diseases, they're susceptible nonetheless, as they're related to rose plants. Avoid growing them near juniper or cedar trees, as they may contract cedar-apple rust. You'll also want to avoid growing them in areas that remain constantly wet, unless they're in full sun with a labeled resistance to diseases.