Hello and thanks for fielding my question, I checked find it here, but could not see an answer listed. I live in Guelph and had a serviceberry full of blossoms last week and by Saturday may 20, my Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance has dropped about 90 % of the blossoms – not just petals.
Don’t know if it was the freeze we had earlier in the week or the deluge on Friday night or some thing else. I added 2” well composted mulch (horse manure in shavings) around the shrub but not up to the trunks.
In addition there seems to be a sort of small dark spot with lighter halo that is affecting some of the leaves, causing deformation. -10%
Plant is a shrub form and was planted late last June (no evidence of fruit then other than a lone berry.)
Is approx 150cm tall and 175 cm diameter with 5 main stalks coming from the base
Location is south facing full Sun. Zone 5b maybe a localized microclimate of 6-7
Anecdotally, my aunt lives in Stratford and her shadblow serviceberry also dropped its blooms.
Thank you for any insight!
Karla, Guelph ON
Actually, serviceberry blossoms only last about 4 or 5 days, so what you and your aunt are experiencing may be perfectly normal!
I can’t see any of the dots you describe on the leaves in the photo provided and you do say that they appear on less than 10% of the leaves. Overall, the plant does look very healthy.
Autumn Brilliance was bred for disease resistance and is very reliable.
However, serviceberries can be subject to the fungus Entomosporium spp., which infects both the leaves and the fruit. Small, angular brown lesions, often with a yellow halo, are observed on the leaves. Infected fruit will be disfigured and have gray areas. Outbreaks are more likely during rainy spells and if overhead watering is used.
If you see more of these spots appear, to prevent spread of disease, prune the infected plant material 12” below the infected area and disinfect your pruners between every cut.
In addition, you may want to check the Images of Serviceberry leaf spots provided by the University of Minnesota Extension service and compare them to what you are seeing.
The same source has an excellent general guide to growing serviceberries.
Good luck with this lovely shrub.