The Trees of Vermont 14:5 



ROSACEAE 



Shadbusli. Jiiueberry. Service Berry 

 Amelanchier canadensis (L.) Medic. 



Habit. — A shrub or small tree 15-30 feet in height, with a tall 

 trunk 6-12 inches in diameter; forming a narrow, rounded crown of 

 many small limbs and slender branchlets. 



Leaves. — Alternate, simple, 3-4 inches long and about one-half as 

 broad ; ovate to obovate ; finely and sharply serrate ; glabrous, dark 

 green above, paler beneath ; petioles slender, about 1 inch long. 



Flowers. — April-May, when the leaves are about one-third 

 grown ; perfect ; large, white, borne in drooping racemes 3-5 inches 

 long; calyx 5-cleft, campanulate, villous on the inner surface; petals 5, 

 strap-shaped, white, about 1 inch in length ; stamens numerous ; styles 

 5, united below. 



Fruit. — June- August ; globular, berry-like pome, y^-Yi inch long; 

 turning from bright red to dark purple with slight bloom ; sweet and 

 edible when ripe. 



Winter-buds. — Yellow-brown, narrow-ovoid to conical, sharp- 

 pointed, /4-K i"^'^ loi'ig; bud-scales apiculate, slightly pubescent. 



Bark. — Twigs smooth, light green, becoming red-brown ; thin, pale 

 red-brown on the trunk, smoothish or divided by shallow fissures into 

 narrow, longitudinal, scaly ridges. 



Wood. — Heavy, very hard, strong, close-grained, dark red-brown, 

 with thick, lighter colored sapwood. 



Distribution. — Common throughout Vermont, especially in the 

 Champlain valley. 



Habitat. — Dry, upland woods and hillsides ; light soils. 



Notes. — Several other species occur in Vermont, most of which 

 are shrubs below tree height. One is a small tree, however, becoming 

 shrubby in the north. It differs but slightly from Amelanchier cana- 

 densis and until recently has not been distinguished from it. This new 

 species has been named Amelanchier laevis Wiegand. It is said to be 

 more northerly in its distribution than Amelanchier canadensis. The 

 shadbusli is easily recognized by its graceful white flowers which ap- 

 pear in the most lavish profusion in May before those of any other 

 native fruit tree. The fruits which ripen in June are nearly one-half 

 an inch long, purple, sweet and edible, but the birds make way with 

 them so quickly that they are not often to be found. The shadbush 

 is common in light soils and dry woodlands throughout Vermont, and 

 especially so in parts of the Champlain valley. It ranges in size and 

 habit from a bush to a small tree twenty to thirty feet in height. 



