Tree Of The Week Amalanchier lamarkii

In almost everyone’s list of the best trees for small gardens, this North American deciduous plant is either described as large shrub or a small tree of bushy spreading habit.

This tree has a lot to recommend it, wonderful white blossom that emerges as star-shaped flowers in lax conical heads, just as the coppery pink young leaves unfold.  The leaves unfurl as the flowers fade and change to a pale green.  Small red berries which turn black in late June, give it it’s American name ‘Juneberry ‘ these are quickly eaten by blackbirds which seem to relish them.

In Autumn the leaves turn fiery shades of yellow, orange and red.

Amalanchier lamarkii (which is often confusingly call Amalanchier Canadensis)  has become naturalised and will grow easily in most conditions, it is sometimes reported  not to be lime tolerant, but we have not found that to be the case.