Amelanchier lamarckii

Amelanchier lamarckii is a bush, with bronze foliage, turning dark green and finally red. It is covered with white flowers, and produces juicy and sweet fruits, it is perfect for creating countryside hedges.                                    

Widespread in Europe, this fast-growing small, hardy tree, has an open, rounded, compact, light and graceful habit. Shrubby when young, it can eventually take on a more tree-like habit after about ten years. It has deciduous, elliptical foliage, 8cm (3.1in) long, starting out bronze before turning green and beautifully colouring orange-red in autumn. Its pretty, white, single flowers appear in pendulous clusters, 6 to 12cm (4.7in) long in April and are followed by edible, dark purple fruits 1cm (0.4in), which are juicy and sweet, perfect for making jam.

Amelanchier lamarckii grows well in any well-drained, dry garden soil, even chalky, in a sunny or partially shaded position. Water and mulch to keep the soil cool in the first few years. Feed in spring. Prune in February by removing suckers and old stems to aerate and balance the branches.

Amelanchier lamarckii can be planted individually in the back of borders with perennials, but it is mainly used in informal and countryside hedges.