Saskatoon
Amelanchier alnifolia
Also called Saskatoon berry, Western juneberry and Alder-leaved shadbush
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitTHE FRUITING Amelanchier, which is not the one sold for blossom — that is A. lamarckii and its berries are thin and seedy. This one crops heavily, tastes of almond and blueberry together, and is tough enough for a hedge.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Once a weekWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Very hardy RHS H7, to -25°C
- Size
- 3 m tall · 2.5 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- Western North America
Is it safe for pets and people?
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Neither authority names Amelanchier. That is an absence and not a clean bill — and like all the pome fruits, the seeds are cyanogenic and are not chewed in quantity.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-22. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- A beautiful tree covered in blossom that produces small dry seedy berries nobody wants to eat. That is A. lamarckii, sold everywhere for its flowers and autumn colour. The fruiting one is alnifolia and it has to be bought by name.The wrong Amelanchier · disorder
- The whole crop gone over two or three days as the berries turn from red to purple. They ripen fast and unevenly, so netting has to go on before the first one colours.Birds · pest