{"product_id":"glossy-black-aronia","title":"Glossy Black Aronia","description":"\u003ch1\u003eThe Rugged Native Workhorse of the Chokeberries\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003cp\u003eGlossy Black Chokeberry (\u003cem\u003eAronia melanocarpa\u003c\/em\u003e) is the straight Minnesota-native species behind all the popular named selections, and it's as tough as they come. Glossy dark-green leaves set off clusters of white spring flowers, which give way to nutritious dark berries that feed birds and people alike, before the whole shrub blazes red, orange, and purple in fall. Equally at home in soggy or dry soil, sun or shade, it's a no-fuss native for naturalized areas, rain gardens, and wildlife plantings in Woodbury, Eden Prairie, and Plymouth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ctable class=\"mce-item-table\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAttribute\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDetail\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBotanical Name\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cem\u003eAronia melanocarpa\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3–6 ft tall and wide\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness Zone\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZone 3–9 (fully hardy across Minnesota)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLight\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull sun to part shade\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Time\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSpring (white flowers)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFruit\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEdible dark berries (late summer)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHighly adaptable; tolerates wet and dry soils\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eLandscape Uses\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eUse Glossy Black Chokeberry in native and pollinator plantings, rain gardens, informal hedges, edible landscapes, and erosion-control areas. It suckers gently to form a colony over time and supports birds, bees, and butterflies through the seasons.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBest Time to Plant\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlant in spring through early fall. A cool, moist spring start is ideal, and planting six or more weeks before hard frost lets roots establish before winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eHow to Plant\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Set the crown level with the soil, backfill, water in well, and mulch 2–3 inches deep, keeping mulch off the stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWatering\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst Year:\u003c\/strong\u003e Water deeply 2–3 times per week to establish the roots.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAfter Year One:\u003c\/strong\u003e Water during dry spells. It tolerates both drought and wet soil once established.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDrip Irrigation:\u003c\/strong\u003e A drip line or soaker hose provides easy, even moisture.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this the native species?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, this is straight \u003cem\u003eAronia melanocarpa\u003c\/em\u003e, native to Minnesota and the parent of the named cultivars.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAre the berries edible?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. They're tart fresh but make excellent juice, jam, and syrup and are valued as a superfood.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow hardy is it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's rated to Zone 3 and fully hardy throughout the state.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it deer resistant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, deer generally leave chokeberry alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePair Glossy Black Chokeberry with our compact chokeberry selections and other Minnesota native shrubs for a resilient, wildlife-friendly planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- tt-enriched --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow Many Glossy Black Aronia Do I Need?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor an informal native hedge or naturalized mass, space Glossy Black Aronia about 4 feet on center — it suckers gently, so the gaps knit together into a colony:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRun Length\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePlants Needed (4 ft spacing)\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3 plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5–6 plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e30 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8 plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e40 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10–11 plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a rain garden or wildlife corner, plant a group of 3–5 at 4 feet apart and let them merge. A single plant works too, but berry set and bird traffic are noticeably better with multiples.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eGlossy Black Aronia Season-by-Season in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpring:\u003c\/strong\u003e Clusters of white, five-petaled flowers in May, buzzing with native bees and other pollinators against glossy emerging foliage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSummer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep glossy-green leaves stay clean through heat; dark purple-black berries ripen in late summer — tart for fresh eating but prized for juice, jam, and syrup.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFall:\u003c\/strong\u003e One of the best fall-color natives — the whole shrub blazes red, orange, and purple while remaining berries feed migrating birds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fine twiggy structure holds snow; any unharvested fruit persists into early winter for wildlife.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAt a Glance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✔ Minnesota Native   ✔ Pollinator-Friendly   ✔ Deer-Resistant   ✔ Rain-Garden \/ Wet-Soil   ✔ Drought-Tolerant   ✔ Shade-Tolerant   ✔ Edible\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant It With\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/low-scape-mound-aronia\"\u003eLow Scape Mound Aronia\u003c\/a\u003e — the knee-high compact selection of this same native species; use it as a front-row edging band.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/viking-aronia\"\u003eViking Aronia\u003c\/a\u003e — bred for bigger, heavier berry crops; plant alongside for a serious edible harvest.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/iroquois-beauty-chokeberry\"\u003eIroquois Beauty Chokeberry\u003c\/a\u003e — a tidier 2–3 ft compact form for smaller beds with the same flowers, fruit, and fall fire.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/first-editions-fiber-optics-buttonbush\"\u003eFirst Editions Fiber Optics Buttonbush\u003c\/a\u003e — fellow wet-tolerant native; the two together carry a rain garden from spring bloom to fall color.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Glossy Black Aronia Right for Your Yard?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChoose Glossy Black Aronia if you want a true Minnesota native that shrugs off wet springs, dry Augusts, clay soil, sun or part shade, and deer — and feeds pollinators and birds while doing it. It's not a fit if you want a formal, stay-put shrub: it suckers into a colony over time, so skip it for tight manicured beds and use a compact cultivar like Iroquois Beauty instead.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Three Timbers Minnesota","offers":[{"title":"#2 Gallon","offer_id":54304827474225,"sku":null,"price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"#5 Gallon","offer_id":54304827506993,"sku":null,"price":31.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0986\/0694\/0465\/files\/glossy-black-aronia.jpg?v=1779727886","url":"https:\/\/threetimbersmn.com\/products\/glossy-black-aronia","provider":"Three Timbers Minnesota","version":"1.0","type":"link"}