If you are going to grow juneberries, you have to plant them. Before you plant them, you have to buy the plants! But where should you buy them?
Since this is a newer fruit for the Northeast US, there are very few nurseries locally that carry plant material. You will likely have to turn to nurseries in Canada or Michigan. We expect that in the coming years, the availability of commercial quantities will improve.
Tip: There are various species of fruiting shrubs that are all called “juneberry.” Make sure the species you are ordering is Amelanchier alnifolia.
Tip: We recommend that commercial plantings obtain named cultivars. Of course, they are more expensive than unnamed varieties. With cultivars, we know how they will grow, how well they fruit, how they taste, and even how vigorous they are likely to be. Unnamed or non-variety juneberry plant material will be inconsistent with regard to these traits.
Tip: Amelanchier alnifolia is known more commonly in Canada and the Midwest US as “saskatoon berry”. When you are looking for or talking about plants, be sure to use this name if needed.
Many juneberry / saskatoon varieties are suitable for the Northeast. Some examples:
‘Smoky’
‘JB-30’
‘Martin’
‘Northline’
‘Thiessen’
‘Honeywood’
‘Regent’
‘Pembina’
Want to know more about variety characteristsics? Go to Chapter 3.2 “Saskatoon cultivars” in Growing Saskatoons - A Manual for Orchardists
Since this is a newer fruit for the Northeast US, there are very few nurseries locally that carry plant material. You will likely have to turn to nurseries in Canada or Michigan. We expect that in the coming years, the availability of commercial quantities will improve.
Tip: There are various species of fruiting shrubs that are all called “juneberry.” Make sure the species you are ordering is Amelanchier alnifolia.
Tip: We recommend that commercial plantings obtain named cultivars. Of course, they are more expensive than unnamed varieties. With cultivars, we know how they will grow, how well they fruit, how they taste, and even how vigorous they are likely to be. Unnamed or non-variety juneberry plant material will be inconsistent with regard to these traits.
Tip: Amelanchier alnifolia is known more commonly in Canada and the Midwest US as “saskatoon berry”. When you are looking for or talking about plants, be sure to use this name if needed.
Many juneberry / saskatoon varieties are suitable for the Northeast. Some examples:
‘Smoky’
‘JB-30’
‘Martin’
‘Northline’
‘Thiessen’
‘Honeywood’
‘Regent’
‘Pembina’
Want to know more about variety characteristsics? Go to Chapter 3.2 “Saskatoon cultivars” in Growing Saskatoons - A Manual for Orchardists