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Amelanchier alnifolia, more commonly known as serviceberry, is a member of Rosaceae (Rose Family). Early settlers used the white flowers of serviceberry for spring burial services, hence the common name. When ripe the fruits turn from green to a bright red (eventually turning dark red to black), and can be eaten; however, the leaves and pits contain a poisonous cyanide-like substance, prunasin, before being cooked or dried. This deciduous shrub grows from 1-7m utilizing the C3 photosynthetic pathway to persist in a diverse range of habitats. Serviceberry can grow from sea level to subalpine elevations, in habitats ranging from open woods to hillsides. Flowers are born in small loose clusters emerging in early spring from light gray branches and among simple, fine toothed, green leaves.
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