34 
PARK AND CEMBTERY 
Some Known Native Ornamentals— VII. 
THree Fine A^ronias 
By Wilfred A. Brotherton. 
The history of this genus of shrubs strikingly il- 
lustrates the conservatism existing in the minds of 
many botanists, and the slowness with which they ac- 
cept truths. 
The first species I shall describe is an eastern 
American species and was early shown to the great 
botanist, Linnaeus. He thought it belonged to the 
same genus as that German fruit, the Medlar, so lit- 
tle known to us Americans, so he called it Mespilus 
arbutifolia — this in the year 1753. In the year 1781, 
the son of Linnaeus became satisfied that it was not a 
Medlar, but supposed it might be a sort of diminutive 
pear or apple, so he called it “Pyrus arbutifolia.” In 
the year 1807, Persoon established the genus Aronia. 
Professor Elliott, in the year 1821, in describing the 
flora of South Carolina and Georgia, gave the name 
Aronia arbutifolia. The other two species are recent 
discoveries, only lately named. 
For more than twenty years I have been greatly 
bothered by two shrubs found in southeastern Michi- 
gan, never growing together, but some ten to twelve 
miles apart, so I would not see them the same day, 
one on the plains at the foot of the great Saginaw- 
Huron Moraine, that crosses southeastern Michigan, 
and one in the highland swamps so frequent upon this 
moraine. While evidently of the same genus they 
evidently were distinct species. T could find no de- 
scription of them, but the old botanists described a 
“Pyrus arbutifolia,” but both these shrubs had black 
berries. So one spring I gathered the shrub I fotmd 
on the plains, and again the one in our highland 
swamps, and sent them to the Arboretum at Palmer 
Park, Detroit, Mich. But never did I realize how 
different were the three shrubs of this genus till July 
17, 1901, when I saw all three growing together 
in the Palmer Park Arboretum, the two I had sent 
there, and A. arbutifolia. Few species of any genus 
differ so widely in general appearance as do these 
three Aronias. As each has ornamental value, I will 
notice each briefly. 
Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Ell. Red Chokeberry. Red 
Aronia. — A branching shrub rarely exceeding 4 or 5 
feet ; under surface of petioled oval, oblong, or obo- 
vate, obtuse, or short-pointed leaves, and flower-clus- 
ter, woolly. Clusters of flowers (cymes) compound; 
flowers white or purplish-tinged, one-half inch or less' 
broad, calyx and stems woolly. From one-quarter 
inch or less thick, globose or depressed, bright red. 
In swamps Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Flori- 
da and Louisiana. A pretty and useful shrub for our 
parks and ornamental grounds. Fruits of all Aronias 
excellent bird food. Fruit of this species long-per- 
sistent. j 
Aronia atropurpurea. Britton, n. sp. Purple-Fruited \ 
Aronia. — This is the first species I ever saw, the one | 
I found in our highland swamps. This shrub is not I 
only the neatest in shape, but the tallest of the Aronias, 
usually exceeding 5 or 6 feet, oftener nearly 10, or 1 
exceeding 12 feet in height, hence in a group this 1 
should be in the center or background. Very branch- 
ing near the top, the branches short and slender. ! 
Calvx, flower-stalks, and undersurfaces of leaves ! 
woolly. Upper surface of leaves dull green, hence the ; 
foliage is not nearly as ornamental as that of the ; 
next, ' but the shrub is of a better shape than that i 
species. Flowers very pretty, small white, in flat ; 
clusters (cymes), surrounded by leaves. Fruit oval j 
to globose, purple-black, sometimes staying on shrub 
all winter. Occurs in swamps with Ilex Bronscien- j 
sis. Ilex verticillata, ilieoides mucronata, bordering 
blue-berry swamps (\^accinium corymbosum and V. ^ 
atrococcum), often exclusively occupying the ground.! 
An excellent tall shrub. 
