Thicket/ Red Chokeberry

COMMON NAME: Red Chokeberry

OTHER COMMON NAME(S):

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Aronia arbutifolia

FAMILY: Rosaceae

COMMUNITY: Thicket

STATUS: Native   

LIFESPAN: Wood shrub

HEIGHT: 3 to 8 feet

FLOWERING TIME: Late April to late May

FRUITING TIME: Early September to October

DISTRIBUTION: Ontario to Florida ~ Statewide in New Jersey

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Shrub that can become a slender tree ~ Leaves fine toothed, elliptic, underside hairy ~ Flowers white or pinkish, 5 pedaled ~ Twigs hairy ~ Fruit similar to blueberry in size and shape, inside texture is more like an apple, persists on the shrub through winter

GENERAL INFORMATION: This family (Rosaceae) commonly called the Rose Family consists of 2000 species of trees, shrubs, and herbs worldwide;  approximately 77 native and 9 naturalized tree species in North America. Members of this family include serviceberries, hawthorns, apples, plums, cherries and mountain-ashes. The species arbutifolia means “like the leaves of Arbutus”.   Arbutus is an old Latin name ar-butus. There are three species of Chokeberries in the USA.  They are of minor importance to wildlife although some upland gamebirds and songbirds feed on them. The fruit of Red Chokeberry is edible to humans but “puckery”, due to its high pectin content.  It makes excellent pies and preserves. Red Chokeberry is found in low woods, thickets, swamps and damp pine-barrens.

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails.  This information is presented for educational purposes.