Serviceberry – A native treat for the garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Shadblow Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) at the beach had a great spring.  Look at all of those blooms! The really good news is that there must have been a lot of bee activity because those flowers were pollinated and the berries are growing well.

The Serviceberry is a wonderful native tree.  At the coast it grows more like a bush but in less harsh environments it is a small to mid sized tree that can reach 25ft.  Pruning makes it bushier and also makes it easier to reach the fruit.

Serviceberries are a wonderful treat.  They taste great right off the tree, are great in a salad AND they make a very very very tasty syrup or jam that works on scones, pancakes and waffles…actually on just about anything.  The biggest problem with making Serviceberry syrup or jam is that you have to beat the Robins and other birds to the ripe berries because they gobble them up VERY QUICKLY.

Serviceberry Syrup

Gather as many berries as possible
1 cup sugar for every 2 cups of berries
1 tsp lemon juice for every 2 cups of berries

Simmer until soft
Process in food processor until liquid
Strain out seeds using a chinoise or cheesecloth.

Bottle up and refrigerate.  Makes about 1 cup of syrup per two cups of berries. Precious.