Description
Smooth shadbush always seems to be hiding in camouflage, that wonderful gray bark blending into the surrounding vegetation both in the bleakness of winter and the spectacular wall of green in the growing season. Until, until it isn’t; in late April this shrub lights up with a dazzling display of rosaceous white flowers that are yelling “Spring is here!”. A bit later on, the leaves start to gracefully unfold, and they are quite often a brilliant crimson red. This red color comes from special pigments active in the leaves at this time to prevent sunburn. Smooth shadbush is an understory shade tolerant plant and does its thing before the overstory canopy of the forest does its thing, hence the adaptation. It is this feature, the red leaves at an early stage, that helps us identify Amelanchier laevis over Amelanchier canadensis for example. Smooth shadbush makes a superb specimen plant for our landscapes, in those shady to partly shady corners of our yards. I typically find this species in growing in more of an upland habitat, as opposed to Amelanchier canadensis which is more often around and in wetlands. Grows to about 10 feet tall, excellent pollinator plants and the birds feed on the fruit like there is no tomorrow.
1 foot high plants in 1 gallon pots.
