Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Northeast Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Aronia prunifolia (Marsh.) Rehder
- Family: Rose (Rosaceae)
- Flowering: April-July
- Field Marks: This shrub is distinguished by its leaves that are glandular on the midvein, on
the upper surface, the hairy lower surface of the leaves, and the dark purple fruits.
- Habitat: Swamps, bogs, wet woods.
- Habit: Shrub to 10 feet tall.
- Stems: Twigs slender, hairy at least when young; buds lanceoloid, deep red.
- Leaves: Alternate, simple, oblanceoiate to obovate, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, finely toothed, dark green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface,
glandular on the midvein on the upper surface, up to 3 1/2 inches long; leaf stalks up to 1/2 inch long.
- Flowers: Few in a branched cluster, white, up to 1/2 inch across.
- Sepals: 5, green, united below to form a cup, more or less hairy.
- Petals: 5, white, obovate, up to 1/4 inch long.
- Stamens: About 20.
- Pistils: Ovary superior, woolly, located at the base of the cup formed by the sepals.
- Fruits: Dark purple, spherical, 1/3-1/2 inch in diameter.
- Notes: The fruits are eaten by wildlife. This plant may be a hybrid between A. arbutifolia and A. melanocarpa.
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