Downy Serviceberry

Pollinator Value

🔑 Keystone: Amelanchier is a keystone genus in eastern North America, supporting 119 species of butterflies and moths as a caterpillar host plant. Notable associates include Luna Moth, Cecropia Silkmoth, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and Red-spotted Purple. The genus provides critical early-season nectar and pollen for native bees and the fruit supports over 40 bird species and numerous mammals.
S13 119 lepidoptera; S10 40+ bird species; S61 seeds benefit from avian digestion
🐛 Larval Host: Limenitis archippus, Paonias myops, Acronicta interrupta, Limenitis arthemis, Papilio glaucus, Campaea perlata, Paonias excaecatus, Actias luna, Schizura concinna, Antheraea polyphemus, Automeris io, Hyalophora cecropia, Orgyia leucostigma, Catocala praeclara
S13+S15 14 verified Eastern NA
❄️ Winter Food Source: Ruffed Grouse feed on persistent buds and twigs of Amelanchier arborea during winter. While the pome fruits do not persist past summer (Fruit/Seed Persistence=No), the woody structure provides browse for White-tailed Deer and American Moose through the dormant season.
S57 Ruffed Grouse; S11 Fruit/Seed Persistence=No; S10 deer and moose browse twigs

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5) and nationally secure in both Canada (N5) and the United States (N5). Ranked S5 (Secure) in Ontario. Not ranked in Quebec (SNR) but well documented with 20 herbarium specimens and 158 total QC preserved specimens across multiple ecoregions. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC.
S22 G5, N5; S54 20 QC herbarium specimens; S26 SARA not listed
Rarity Ranks: QC SNR – Not Ranked, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Downy serviceberry occupies dry to mesic upland forests, rocky slopes, and woodland borders throughout the Algonquin/Southern Laurentians ecoregion. It typically grows as an understory tree in mixed hardwood forests with Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra, and Fagus grandifolia, and also colonizes open rocky outcrops on granite shield terrain. In the Outaouais, herbarium specimens from Eardley Township document it in shallow soil on granite outcrops with cedars and white pines.
S7 dry upland forests with oaks and maples; S48 Eardley Twp specimen on granite outcrop; S4 rocky woods and slopes

Roles: Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier, Insectary Plant, Pollinator Attractor, Shelterbelter, Wildlife Habitat
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = Medium (not definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Insectary Plant: S72 Hemenway (tables: appendix_a, pp. 186)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 6 bee associations (threshold=3)] | Shelterbelter: S72 Hemenway (tables: appendix_a, pp. 186); S72 Hemenway (tables: appendix_a, pp. 186)] | Wildlife Habitat: S72 Hemenway (tables: appendix_a, pp. 186)]
Notes: Listed in Hemenway's Gaia's Garden as a deciduous shrub/tree for Zone 1, with insectary, shelterbelter, hedgerow, and wildlife habitat roles. Functions as a food forest understory tree providing early-season pollinator forage and summer fruit for birds and humans. Its extensive root system provides soil stabilization on slopes.
S72 appendix_a, p.186, zone 1, D Sh; S29 soil stabilization, extensive root system

Category: Anthelmintic, Antidiarrheal, Astringent, Tonic, Venereal Aid, Blood Medicine, Gynecological Aid
S28 Cherokee: anthelmintic, antidiarrheal, tonic; Iroquois: venereal aid, blood medicine, gynecological aid; S29 Anthelmintic, Astringent, Tonic, VD
Notes: Cherokee used a compound infusion for worms (anthelmintic), diarrhea, and as a spring tonic. Iroquois used an infusion of bark for gonorrhea and fruits as a blood remedy and for postpartum afterpains and hemorrhages. Small branches were also infused for postpartum care.
S28 Cherokee Drug: anthelmintic, antidiarrheal, tonic; Iroquois Drug: venereal aid, blood medicine, gynecological aid

✅ Edible ✅ Commonly Eaten

Foraging Notes: Berries eaten raw or cooked by Cherokee and Blackfoot peoples. Cherokee used berries as food; Blackfoot dried berries for winter use, added them to stews, soups, and meats. Fruit is a small pome up to 10 mm diameter, ripening unevenly over 2-3 weeks, rich in iron and copper. Quality is variable: some forms are sweet and juicy, suitable for preserves and baking, while others are dry and tasteless.
S28 Cherokee Food, Blackfoot Food (dried, soup, with meats); S29 fruit 10mm, rich in iron and copper, variable quality