Aronia prunifolia in flower

Credit: Tyler Ekholm

Serrated leaf Aronia prunifolia

Credit: Brian Finzel

White flowers Aronia prunifolia

Credit: Maja Dumat

Purple berries Aronia prunifolia

Credit: Chris Light

Berries Aronia prunifolia

Credit: Sony Mavica

Aronia prunifolia, Purple Aronia

Aronia prunifolia is said to be a natural hybrid of Aronia melanocarpa and Aronia arbutifolia, two shrubs in the Rosaceae family. But for some botanists, this variety, found in eastern Canada and the USA, is a genus in its own right. In fact, Purple Aronia also thrives in regions where its relatives don't grow.

How to recognize Aronia prunifolia, the Purple Aronia?

Aronia prunifolia is a highly branched shrub. Bushy and bushy, it doesn't exceed two meters in height.

The oval leaves have serrated margins and measure up to seven centimetres. In summer, they are a brilliant dark green. In autumn, the foliage turns purplish-red before wilting on the branch or falling off.

Aronia prunifolia blooms in summer. Blooms last until October. The shrub is then adorned with white flowers with five narrow petals. Fragrant and melliferous, they are grouped together on a common stem.

But the Purple Aronia is best known for its fruit, globular purple or dark blue drupes. Raw, the berries are almost inedible. But they're even better when made into jam or jelly!

Aronia prunifolia is not listed as a toxic plant. However, ingesting too many berries can cause digestive problems, and pollen from the flowers can cause allergic reactions.

Our maintenance tips

Aronia × prunifolia produce numerous shoots. Plant them in the ground so that they can develop.

Watering

Water when the soil is dry, for about three centimeters. Use room-temperature, non-calcareous water, preferably rainwater. When watering, avoid wetting the leaves.

Thirty minutes after watering, drain off any stagnant water in the saucer. It may rot the roots.

To improve humidity, place your Aronia × prunifolia with your other plants or place its pot on a dish of moist clay balls.

Repotting

Choose a pot with holes or a tub large enough to accommodate your Purple Aronia and its future offshoots. You can place clay balls or gravel at the bottom for drainage.

Mix universal potting soil with garden soil. You can also enrich the substrate with compost or heather soil. Pour a layer of this mixture at the bottom of the pot and plant your Purple Aronia. The root ball should be a few centimetres below the rim to form a watering trough. Add potting soil to reach the root ball.

Water copiously to encourage rooting and mulch to keep the soil cool.

Fertilization

Place a little compost at the foot of your Purple Aronia to enrich the soil and accelerate growth.

Prune

Always use clean, sharp pruning shears when pruning.

Eliminate dead wood and aerate the center by removing crossing branches, for example.

Shorten the remaining branches by about a third if you want to control the growth ofyour Purple Aronia.

Plantation

When the risk of frost has passed, it's time to plant.

Soak your Purple Aronia while digging a hole at least 50 centimetres wide and as deep as the root ball. If you're planting several specimens, to form a hedge for example, space them one meter apart.

Plant your Purple Aronia in the center. You can backfill with garden soil, but your plant will thrive best if you add compost and heather soil.

Tamp and water generously to help the plant take root. You can also mulch the soil to limit water intake.

Cutting

Separate a seedling, with its root system, from the mother plant. If their roots are intertwined, sever them with a clean knife.

Pour universal potting soil into a perforated pot. Use your finger or pen to make a hole. Plant your Aronia × prunifolia. Water generously to encourage rooting and place the cutting in partial shade.

Disease / Threat

Caterpillar

Information

Family	Rosaceae - Rosaceae
Type	Aronie - Aronia
Species	Purple Aronia - Aronia × prunifolia
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Sun Half-shade
Substrats	Calcareous earth Humus soil Peat soil
Planting methods	Open ground In tubs
Categories	Shrub Flowery
Tags	Beginner Flowery Rustic
Origin	North America
Hardiness (USDA)	4a
Leaf color
Flower color
Fruit colors