Plant · GBIF taxon 5363627
black chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpaAlso known as Glossy Black Chokeberry
Black chokeberry is a hardy, multistemmed deciduous shrub renowned for its clusters of white five-petaled spring blossoms and deep purple-black autumn pome fruits. Its glossy dark green foliage shifts to brilliant shades of crimson and orange before dropping in late autumn, providing high-contrast seasonal color across wet meadows and forest borders. The persistent fruits remain attached well into winter, offering a critical late-season food reserve for overwintering songbirds after softening through repeated frosts.
Native ShrubDeciduousFlowering Shrub
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—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotroph (Photosynthesis)
Predators
- White-tailed Deer
- Cedar Waxwing
- American Robin
ThreatsWetland drainage, development, and competition from non-native invasive shrubs
HabitatsBogs, wet thickets, swamp borders, rocky barrens, and forest clearings
Life span20–40 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderRosales
- FamilyRosaceae
- GenusAronia
- SpeciesAronia melanocarpa
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Wild berries have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Winter Identification: Look for small, raised dark glands lining the upper midrib of dried leaves or twig scars.
- Pollinator Watching: Visit flowering clusters on warm sunny mornings to spot diverse native solitary bees.
Frequent Companion (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Competitor (c) Robert Flogaus-Faust, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Laura Clark, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Clark · cc-by
Hybrid Relative Kurt Stüber [1] / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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