Shadbush, shadblow
This shrub makes my heart sing. I’ve been seeing a lot of it lately, the white blooms gleaming in the woods. Some things I know (or would like to know) about it:
- It’s native, so much more suited for this region than forsythia (also in bloom and much more gaudy).
- The reddish bronze leaves give it a colorful tinge, especially noticeable when next to a tree with white bloom and green leaves.
- It’s in the rose family! Rosaceae.
- It has a lot of names. When I lived in Connecticut we called it serviceberry, but here in Maine shadbush comes to mind more readily. Shadblow is another one. Juneberry is another.
- The tree blooms around the same time as the shad run, thus the name. I don’t know if the shad run anymore around here.
- The name Serviceberry is said to come from the recognition that when the blooms came, the ground was soft enough to bury bodies. So funeral services could be held at the time of the blooms.
- I’ve never seen the berries. I’ll have to make note of a nearby tree so I can examine it later.
- I planted one in the yard because I thought we didn’t have one. Later I noticed we do have one growing, in the copse where the driveway starts its turnaround. Much bigger and healthier looking.
just recently I came across the name serviceberry and wondered about it … thanks for the explanation
The explanation sounds a little farfetched but I heard it from 2 different sources so it’s probably for real.
What a beautiful, delicate plant with such fun history.
I read an article about it in the past and I just can’t remember where. I wish I could because it was very comprehensive.
Here in the southern Appalachians, the old timers call the tree “Sarvy” .
That’s funny – I read one of the names was Sarvusberry. Sarvy would be the nickname then!
what an interesting plant story.
I have a lot of trouble identifying some plants, look them up over and over, but this one I know! In bloom time at least.