ROSACEAE - - Rose Family

Amelanchier alabamensis Britton — Alabama Serviceberry

Habitat:

This taxon is not recognized by Weakley 2015, but it is recognized on the varietal level (A. arborea var. alabamensis) by USDA Plants Database, 2018. I prefer to elevate this to species level based on morphological characteristics and habitat. This is a flatwoods species, growing in those thick, mucky, clay, soils characteristic of calcareous flatwoods, while A. arborea, at least in our area, prefers the drier slopes of the Ridge & Valley or richer soils nears creeks and streams. Also, Alabama Serviceberry is less tree-like, sometimes with a single trunk, but usually multi-trunked and reproducing by long spreading rhizomes. The flowers are smaller, more upright, with narrower, crumpled looking, petals. And, although the flowers are smaller, a tree / bush is usually completely covered with hundreds of flowers making it more showy that the sparsely flowered A. arborea.

Native Range:

The native range of Amelanchier alabamensis (Alabama Serviceberry)

USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 23 November 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.