Serviceberry: A tree for you and the birds

When people first start gardening “for wildlife”, they are anxious to find plants that have berries for birds. They are usually so anxious that I think they would plant things regardless of looks if they knew it would feed the birds. Fortunately, serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) is one tree that is both beautiful and beneficial. 

Amelanchier arborea

Serviceberry has a variety of common names based on when it blooms: Juneberry, serviceberry (or sarvisberry), and shadblow are just some of those names. Serviceberry was supposedly bestowed because it bloomed around the time of spring religious services after the ground had thawed enough to bury those that died over the winter. The name shadblow was due to the blooms coinciding with the running of the shad, an ocean fish that returns to freshwater rivers for spawning in the eastern part of the U.S.

There are several different species native to Georgia. We usually find Amelanchier arborea in the wild; it is known as downy serviceberry. Downy serviceberry grows up to 30 feet tall in ideal conditions of full sun and good moisture.  In the nursery you can usually find Amelanchier canadensis, which is an attractive clumping form and rather shrub-like. You can also find hybrids of several species such as Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ or ‘Princess Diana’.  Amelanchier x grandiflora has its own common name of “apple serviceberry” and is a cross between A. arborea and A. laevis.

Serviceberry blooms in late March or early April. The white flowers are arranged in long racemes. While each flower doesn’t last very long, I have found that the tree is in bloom over several weeks as one branch finishes and another starts.  It is one of the earliest trees to flower in my area; the bright white blossoms light up the sunny edges of native woodlands.

Amelanchier alnifolia

Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte, Bugwood.org

The “berries” of this plant develop shortly after flowering, but they are not berries at all. As a member of the Rosaceae family, Amelanchier fruit is actually a “pome” just like an apple is. The fruit changes from green to pink to blue as it ripens. If you are wanting some for yourself, keep a close eye on the crop. I’ve had birds strip a tree of all fruit while it is still in the pink stage.

Amelanchier arborea

Serviceberry can have excellent fall color, ranging from golden-orange to bright red. I would definitely consider it to be a tree that offers 3 seasons of interest. 

It makes a nice specimen tree in an open sunny area. The relatively open habit of the tree allows for perennials to be grow around the base; it would also pair nicely with a birdbath.

November is a great time to plant trees and shrubs in North Georgia. Call around to your local nurseries and see if they have serviceberry in stock or can order one for you.

Scarlet Oak: Good growth, gorgeous giant

People often look for fast growing trees. I don’t blame them – we all want to see results as quickly as possible in our landscape. Oaks are not generally considered to be fast growing trees, perhaps because people have heard that hardwoods need slow growth to produce “hard” wood. There are some fast growing oaks, however, especially in good garden conditions such as residential landscapes. Scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea) is one such oak.

Scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea)

Scarlet oak is native to the eastern US from Maine down to north Georgia. It does well in poor soils and grows fast in full sun conditions. Growth rates can exceed two feet per year, allowing this tree to reach maturity in 20 years, one of the earliest oaks to do so. Top size is 100 feet but most trees are 60 to 80 feet tall - a good sized tree to provide shade for you and acorns for wildlife.

Scarlet oak is part of the “red oak group”. Oaks are divided into two groups, the red oak group and the white oak group. Oaks in the red group have bristle tips on their leaves and acorns that take two years to mature. The acorns you see on the ground today were formed from flowers the previous year. Tannin content in these acorns is higher than that in the white oak group, so animals generally prefer eating acorns from oaks in the white oak group first, leaving the red oak group acorns for later in the year.  

A sample of scarlet oak leaves early in the season

Scarlet oak looks rather similar to red oak (Quercus rubra), but careful examination of the leaves and in particular the acorns will show the difference. Note: trying to identify an oak from a single leaf or a single acorn (especially one without the cap) is not recommended.

Leaves on any individual tree may have deeper sinuses than other trees (the sinus is the indented area between the lobes on the leaves), and leaves on even the same tree may vary. The leaves shown on the left came from several different trees. Also, the leaves are not as red as they might been had they stayed on the tree longer.

Scarlet oak acorns

A good identification feature of the acorn is a set of grooved concentric rings around the tip of the acorn. You may need a hand lens to see it. The cap of the acorn usually has overlapping shingle scales that are tightly pressed down - almost as if they were glued down; sometimes they appear a bit shellacked in comparison to Q. rubra acorns.

Now is a good time to look for and collect acorns if you find a particularly beautiful tree. Collect at least 20-30 as some of them will likely have oak weevils inside. Put them in a bowl of water and discard any floaters - they have weevils. If you want to see the critter - put them in a box and the worm will crawl out after a few days (a fun activity for kids), leaving a small exit hole. Put it outside when you discover it so that it can continue on it's way.

Quercus coccinea

You can also buy scarlet oak at nurseries. As an outstanding and popular tree, it is often available in sizes up to 2 inch caliper. Ask your local nursery about it. Nuttall's oak (Quercus texana) is a good substitute if they don't have scarlet oak. The color won't be as intense, but it is also a fast grower and a good color in the fall.

Carex Like You Mean It

Grasses and grass-like plants are overlooked by many gardeners – they are plain and messy looking compared to clipped lawns and don’t have showy flowers. Wait, they have flowers? Who knew?

Carex laxiculmis flower, in April

While many folks might consider them all “grasses”, they aren't; For the most part they fall into the familiar 3 groups: sedges, rushes and grasses. In fact you might have heard the familiar rhyme (which comes in several forms). The first one is my favorite:

“Sedges have edges; rushes are round; grasses are hollow right up from the ground”. 

Another version of this poem is, "Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses have nodes and willows abound." Or “Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses are hollow, what have you found?” And one more that you might find useful: “Sedges have edges, rushes are round, and grasses have joints.” All of these are meant to offer clues for identification.

Carex laxiculmis leaf blade

I have lately become very fond of sedges which are known botanically as Carex.  More of them have found their way into cultivation, and I was charmed into purchasing a few of them. But I have also learned how to identify them and have been able to find several different species in the wild and in my own yard (the wooded section).

So what does it mean that “sedges have edges”? Several sources describe the arrangement as having “triangular stems” – there are 3 edges as if the blade was V-shaped. One might consider that one edge is a ridge that runs down the center. Of course you can also identify it by ruling out the other two: the leaves are not round, so it’s not a rush. And it’s not a grass because there are no joints and the leaf is not hollow.

Garden worthy features of Carex include being mostly evergreen, being shade tolerant, growing in a clump form, and being fairly deer resistant. (But not cat resistant – they will try to eat them as they think they are grasses too.) Take note of what I said  – deer resistant. Yep, I’m growing them right out in the open and they have not eaten them. They have eaten the Virginia creeper vine and the azalea right next to them, but they have not eaten the Carex.

Carex laxiculmis 'Bunny Blue'

The first one that I got was a nursery purchase. The common name is spreading sedge and it is Carex laxiculmis 'Bunny Blue'. This is an arrangement of 3 plants purchased as quarts. I liked the blue-green color, and it has been a beautiful addition to the more cultivated area in my garden. It has spread a little, and I have been able to easily pot up the babies for a donation to the GNPS spring plant sale.

Carex plantaginea

Shortly thereafter a friend gave me two small pieces of Carex plantaginea that she rescued in North Carolina with the native plant society. What a handsome plant! The quilted texture of the leaves is a great addition to the garden, and the small plants are now robust clumps (but no babies in sight).

As you can see, Carex are handsome plants. There are hundreds of different species native to the United States, many native to the southeastern US. Across the different species there are a range of different leaf colors, leaf widths and lengths, and growing conditions. Many are shade tolerant but others grow in the sun, especially morning sun. They are found in habitats that  range from dry to wet and all in between.

Unknown Carex

Now that I am more aware of sedges, I see a variety of species in the woods wherever I go.  Here is one that popped up in a pot of Trillium that someone gave me. It's a keeper. When it flowers this spring, I hope to identify it.

Carex is one suggestion if you're looking for a native replacement for Liriope, a non-native plant often used for edging. You can see the resemblance.  

Carex is #6 on the list of perennials that support native Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) as a host plant, so the usage of it instead of a non-native plant is even more beneficial.

Carex pensylvanica

So I hope you will consider using Carex in your garden.  I think if you try one, you will soon become as enamored as I am. The many varieties of texture and color are sure to offer you a chance to use several species.

Now I think I'll go outside and plant this last one that I bought ... the fine bladed texture of Carex pensylvanica was irresistible, and I heard it does well in dry shade. I have just the place ....