Aronia melanocarpa / Black chokeberry

[danw]

I just got back from a vacation to Slovenia and Croatia. While there, I was introduced to a new to me fruit in the form of a jam. It was labeled as Aronia. I fell in love with the stuff. It has a flavor that is kind of a cross between black berries, blueberries and cranberries. Having never heard of it, I did a little google search and learned it is native to North America and is known as Black Chokeberry. The berries are too astringent to eat fresh, but dried or used in preserves they come into there own. Apparently they are extremely dense in polyphenols and have anti cancer properties.

I will be planting a few bushes for sure. Anyone else growing this fruit?

Dan

[Kelby]

It is grown as an ornamental much more often than for the fruit. I have planted quite a few in the gardens I tend. It was almost the next superfruit, but never made it!

Easy to grow but not palatable without lots of sugar or dilution.

[danw]

I saw that most of the places that are selling them list there ornamental uses first, and sometimes mention that the fruit is edible. I am not sure how the jam I ate was prepared, but it was really tasty! Had a little zing to it.

[COGardener]

I have one in my back yard. It produced a huge yield of nasty berries. Freezing them helps bring out a little sweetness, basically they need to be made into things, or added to a smoothie. Also no more that a teaspoon a day is recommended, the antioxidants are so plentiful they actually do damage.

Like Kelby said.... almost made it onto the super food list.... which they should be.

[npolaske]

I had some for the first time last year at a community garden outside Seattle. They were absolutely thriving in that climate, so I've been hesitant to try growing them in the high desert. Do you have any idea how they like dry heat?

[COGardener]

I'm in a high plains desert, mine gets no care at all other than the irrigation system. It is doing great.

Where are you again npolaske?

[npolaske]

My signature seems to have disappeared! I'm outside Tucson, AZ at an elevation of about 5000 ft. We are technically USDA zone 8a, but May and June can see temps in the 90-100 F range with close to no humidity... that's the part of the year I still struggle with.

[danw]

I have been reading recipes for all things Aronia and have gathered that you should not eat the seeds as they are somewhat toxic.

[don_sanders]

Do you have more info on this? It was my understanding that there wasn't anything poisonous in any part of chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa). Now, Aronia fruit does contain oxalic acid (like most berries, spinach, rhubarb, peanuts, chocolate, tea, etc) which can contribute to kidney stones/failure and reduce mineral absorption (calcium and magnesium?).

Could the warning be a mixup with chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) which have toxic seeds and other parts?

[danw]

Possibly, I see lots of articles confusing the two. Let me find where I read that and get back to you.

[danw]

Good call Don! It was in reference to Chokecherries. I feel better about growing the Chokeberries now! Here is a good little blog about the confusion.

http://aroniainamerica.blogspot.com/2011/03/is-it-chokeberry-or-chokecherry.html

[don_sanders]

I have a young bush that I planted last year. About 1.5ft and very productive. I really like the flavor of the fruit but it is very astringent. Like sucking in a tea bag. I got a cup or two of berries off the little thing and mixed it into a juice with some sweetener. Should be a good wine additive. I imagine I'll be overwhelmed with berries when it reaches 6'x6'.

[danw]

Hmm, is growing this berry a requirement for being a moderator? I am seeing a trend with the people responding to this thread. I will definitely be planting one this year.

[cis4elk]

Hilarious, I had no idea Aronias were chokecherries! I have thought about getting and Aronia bush, I would have been so pissed to see it leaf out and be thinking "Hmm, that looks just like a chokecherry" and then have it fruit chokecherries! I grew up eating chokecherries in North Dakota where they grow in nearly every low lying area(along with the preferred June Berry/Saskatoon/Service Berry) and now at our new house they are everywhere on the property, native and ornamental both. Mom used to make syrup and jelly from them, both of which are very good. As kids, one of our favorite treats was to pour some chokecherry syrup in a bowl , add some heavy cream and sort of swirl or mix it together and then dip fresh bread in it. Memories

[danw]

Haha see the link below. Aronia is Chokeberry, not Chokecherry. Not sure which one you grew up eating.

http://aroniainamerica.blogspot.com/2011/03/is-it-chokeberry-or-chokecherry.html

[drew51]

I saw that most of the places that are selling them list there ornamental uses first, and sometimes mention that the fruit is edible. I am not sure how the jam I ate was prepared, but it was really tasty! Had a little zing to it.

If you buy plants, get a known cultivar for fruit. Like McKenzie, Nero, or Viking

[cis4elk]

Dang! I see the confusion now too! It was chokecherry, but since Scott made the comment he did I think I will skip growing a huge bush of nasty tasting chokeberries. For those who haven't tried it ChokeCHERRY jelly and syrup is good stuff.

[CoolClimateFigger]

How are you Aronia plants doing? I bought three bare root plants last spring. One of them produced berries that I just cut from the bush today. They were not as bad as I'm hearing. They were edible right off the bush. Is this kind of early for the fruit to be mature? Seems I read they mature in the fall.

Also, how do you prune your plants? And how do you propagate the plants?

Looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

[don_sanders]

Nope. Now is the time for them to ripen around here. I would imagine that air layers would work well but never tried it. I haven't mine. I was just going to let it grow for a few years.

[danw]

Mine are ripening right now. about %50 of them are black. and I have not tried one yet I was planning to freeze them and then use them in smoothies with other fruit. That is how Gary uses them and he really likes them.

My Viking plant was acquired this year, so I have not had any need to prune it yet. I will have to watch it grow more to decide if it needs any pruning. Similarly I have not tried to propagate it. When I got mine it was a three foot whip and cost me $8 at a local nursery. It is now 5 feet tall with some branching and way more berries than I expected for the first year. If I add any more plants I will probably just pick up another one from the nursery.

[COGardener]

I need to prune mine, it is growing into a staircase.

I've been considering setting air layers on the plant to gift to local friends. I can't imagine that an air layer wouldn't work.

The berries on mine are almost full size, the berries that resulted from the very first blossoms are starting to show a tiny little bit of color. I still have last year's Harvest processed and Frozen, haven't had time to make anything with them.

[zone5figger]

I grow these as well and like how totally carefree they are. I use the fruit in fruit wine blends, preserves, syrups, juice additive, and baked goods. The plants sucker and these can be separated to make more. Cuttings of both dormant and semi-lignified wood have rooted for me, more tricky than some, easier than others.
Interesting side note is that the European cultivate like Viking, Nero were aronia crossed with sorbus (euro mountain ash) to increase fruit size and yield, I think that's why they have more astringency than native selections like MacKenzie.

[CoolClimateFigger]

I've noticed the suckering too. I want to keep the plants in pots with a "standard" shape and these plants are not being cooperative at all. I should give air layering a shot. It's got so many side shoots lower on the bush than I want. Thanks for the info, Folks.

[COGardener]

I found myself surprised to hear suckering mentioned. Mine has been in it's spot for five or more years and I have no suckers at all.