How to Grow Aronia Berries (Chokeberry), a Superfruit

How fast do chokeberry bushes grow?
How do you grow Chokeberries?
How do you plant aronia berries?
How do you care for a chokeberry bush?
What's the difference between chokecherry and chokeberry?
How far apart do you plant aronia bushes?
Can you eat Chokeberries raw?
Are Chokeberries poisonous to humans?
Are black Chokeberries poisonous to dogs?
How many aronia berries should I eat in a day?
Is there a market for aronia berries?
Do aronia berries spread?

How fast do chokeberry bushes grow?

An extremely hardy deciduous shrub that will reach maturity in five years, the black chokeberry is a perfect choice for naturalizing. If left alone, the plants can form colonies that provide food and shelter for wildlife.

How do you grow Chokeberries?

Select a location for the chokeberry shrub in full sun or partial shade with slightly acidic soil, between about 6 and 7 pH. ...
Dig the planting hole and work amendments into the soil, if needed. ...
Either sow ripe chokeberry seeds in a container or directly on the ground.

How do you plant aronia berries?

You can plant your aronia berries in most soil conditions, from moist and boggy soil to dry and sandy soil. Although it isn't picky, nutrients will increase its health, so add some compost to your soil as you plant this bush. This resilient bush can withstand wet winters and dry summers.

How do you care for a chokeberry bush?

Plan to water during dry spells and prune annually to maintain its shape.

Light. You can plant a black chokeberry shrub in either full sun or partial shade. ...
Soil. A virtue of this shrub is how adaptable it is to a wide range of soils. ...
Water. Black chokeberry has moderate water needs. ...
Fertilizer.

What's the difference between chokecherry and chokeberry?

Black chokeberry is one of the common names for Aronia melanocarpa. The name “chokeberry” can easily be misunderstood or misread as the word “chokecherry.” Chokecherry is the common name for a different plant -- . In fact, the two plants are only distantly related within the Rosaceae or rose family of plants.

How far apart do you plant aronia bushes?

Set out the bushes three feet apart in rows two feet apart. Over time, the plants will spread to fill in the bare spaces. Dig the planting hole as deep as the bush's root ball and three to four times wider than it is deep. The loosened soil created by the wide planting hole makes it easier for the roots to spread.

Can you eat Chokeberries raw?

Raw. They can be eaten fresh or dried as a snack, but their mouth-drying effects may not be for everyone. Juices and smoothies. Aronia berries or their juice can be combined with other fruits, such as pineapples, apples, or strawberries, to make a refreshing drink.

Are Chokeberries poisonous to humans?

Most parts of chokecherry are toxic to humans and livestock. Digestion of chokecherry seeds, leaves, twigs and bark by enzymes in the stomach releases cyanide (also called hydrocyanic or prussic acid). ... The fleshy portion of the chokecherry fruit is not poisonous and can be safely eaten, although it is extremely tart.

Are black Chokeberries poisonous to dogs?

The aronia bush -- often called the black chokeberry -- may or may not be toxic to canines and felines, but any symptoms after consumption are mild to moderate.

How many aronia berries should I eat in a day?

Nutritional experts recommend about 3,000-5,000 ORAC units daily, so around 30 aronia berries per day would deliver about 7,000 units, which far surpasses the minimum guidelines.

Is there a market for aronia berries?

On the basis of geography, the global aronia berries market is fragmented into seven regions namely, North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East & Africa and Japan. ... It is most frequently consumed in Eastern Europe.

Do aronia berries spread?

Aronia grows and spreads by suckering, which allows the wild bushes to develop into colonies. ... All in all, aronia shrubs are well adapted to many kinds of growing conditions and produce a low-maintenance 'superfood' berry. Certainly worthy of a spot in the edible garden.