Keweenaw Allegheny Serviceberry Seeds

currently unavailable Reliable Fruit Producer-Disease Free - Selected Michigan Germplasm From Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Finding good quality serviceberries often means looking for selections growing in unlikely places. This is a common plant throughout Michigan but nowhere is it more diverse than northern Michigan where you find so many different types in opposite conditions. Since it was a favorite spot to vacation, I would always bring seeds back of finds that I thought were both delicious and productive. I now have small plantings of these devoted to these Michigan jewels of nature. These are extremely durable and fruitful even with late frosts. The fruit rarely develops fungal diseases. Several of these could be clonally produced however after growing them from seed, they really follow the same genetics as their parents and come out true to type from seed. More will be added to these selections once images are done. My whole serviceberry collection will be made available as seeds and if actually a better clonal selection those will be listed too. My thought is that from seed, these are fine and really do not need further clonal reproduction or a name. The flavors are so good with these. I like them better than the alnifolia types. I would say they are better but maybe it would be best to say they are in a class by themselves and are different than alnifolia types. Either way, they are delicious. 

Further grow outs could reveal good cultivars that fruit even if there is excessive heat and resistance to scab and fruit drop. These are the big issues with this species and Amelanchier in general. The average landscape trees can be amazing and the next year a dud. This is common with Amelanchier.  

To germinate the seeds: Treat like apple seeds. Add lightly moist Canadian peat moss and mix. Put in the refrigerator for 90-120 days. at 33F to 38 F. Once out of the fridge plant in a flat and lightly cover. Seeds will sprout over a month time. I try not to let the seeds dry enough in processing to create the double dormancy that can sometimes occur when over drying when cleaning and drying seeds. Sometimes storing them in lightly moist sand until dormancy period also works. Not a good seed to dry excessively.