The Utah serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis) is a versatile and attractive native shrub or small tree found across western North America. It offers visual interest throughout the year. Here's a visual guide to help you identify it:
Overall Appearance:
Size and Form: Typically grows as a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub or small tree, reaching 3 to 15 feet (1-4.6 meters) tall and often just as wide. It has a rounded growth habit.
Bark: Young branches are reddish, maturing to a smooth, ashy-gray or brown-striped bark. As it ages, the bark can become rougher with long splits and furrows.
Leaves:
Arrangement: Alternate on the stem.
Shape and Size: Small, 1 to 2.5 cm (½ to 1 inch) long, generally oval to broadly elliptic or spade-shaped.
Texture: Dark green and slightly shiny on the upper surface, often covered in very tiny hairs (pubescent) below. This hairiness is a key distinguishing feature from similar species like Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia).
Margins: Coarsely toothed (serrate) on the upper half of the leaf.
Fall Color: Turns vibrant shades of yellow, golden, and sometimes orange in the autumn.
Flowers:
Bloom Time: Blooms in mid-to-late spring (typically April to June) before or as leaves emerge.
Color: Snowy white, sometimes with a pinkish tint.
Form: Five widely spaced, narrow petals, about 6-10 mm long.
Arrangement: Occur in short clusters (racemes) of 3 to 20 blossoms at the ends of branches.
Pollinators: Attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects.
Fruit:
Type: A small, apple-like pome.
Color: Ripens from green to a reddish-brown, then eventually to dark purple or black.
Size: Small, typically 1/4 to 3/8 inch (5-10 mm) in diameter.
Taste: Sweet and edible, often described as apple-like.
Persistence: Remains on the plant throughout the summer and into fall, providing food for birds and other wildlife, and offering visual contrast with the golden foliage. Utah serviceberry fruit tends to persist longer on the bush than some other serviceberry species.
Twigs and Buds:
Twigs: Grayish to red-brown, somewhat hairy when young, becoming hairless with age. They are round and flexible.
Buds: Grayish, stout, about ½ inch long, with red, overlapping scales that are hairy along the edges.
Habitat and Growing Conditions:
Native Range: Widespread in the dry northwestern and southwestern regions of the United States, extending into northern Mexico, and west to the Sierra Nevada.
Habitat: Occurs in varied habitats, including mesas, canyons, rocky slopes, scrublands, woodlands, and along roadsides, generally at elevations of 5,000 to 9,000 feet.
Soil: Adaptable to various well-drained soil types (sand, loam, clay), tolerates rocky soils and alkaline conditions.
Sun: Prefers full sun to part shade.
Water: Drought tolerant once established, requires low to moderate water. Not salt tolerant.
Distinguishing from Similar Species (e.g., Saskatoon Serviceberry - Amelanchier alnifolia):
Leaves: Amelanchier utahensis typically has smaller, more consistently hairy leaves, especially on the underside, and often with serrations mainly on the upper half. A. alnifolia tends to have smoother, hairless leaves that may be glaucous (bluish-green) underneath, with serrations often extending further down the leaf.
Fruit: While both have edible berries, A. utahensis fruit is often described as less juicy and more reddish-fleshed, whereas A. alnifolia typically has darker purple skin and flesh, and is more juicy.
