''Aronia arbutifolia'', called the red chokeberry,
is a North American species of shrubs in the
rose family
Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera.
The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are '' Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorbus ...
. It is native to eastern Canada and to the eastern and central United States, from eastern
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
to
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
inland to
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, and
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
.
''Aronia arbutifolia'' is a branching shrub forming clumps by means of stems forming from the roots. Flowers are white or pink, producing black or bright red fruits. The fruits, whose ill taste inspired the common name, are bitterly acidic (though edible) when eaten raw, but are high in pectin and can be used to make delicious thick jams and jellies.
It is a popular native landscaping plant.
References
External links
*
arbutifolia
Flora of Eastern Canada
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Flora of the Northeastern United States
Flora of the Southeastern United States
Flora of Oklahoma
Flora of Texas
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
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