Aronia melanocarpa 'Viking' – 'Viking' Black Chokeberry

The 'Viking' Chokeberry is an all-in-one shrub that performs brilliantly in the garden. Native to North America, it combines delicate spring blossoms, an abundant production of nutritious berries, and foliage that ignites with spectacular colour in the fall. Its hardiness and great adaptability make it a wise choice for creating landscapes that are at once beautiful, ecological, and edible.

Characteristics

• Foliage: A glossy dark green during the growing season, the deciduous leaves transform into a flamboyant orange-red spectacle in the fall.
• Flowering / Fruiting: In the spring, it is covered with clusters of white flowers that attract pollinators. These give way to large, purplish-black berries in late summer, known for their very high antioxidant content.
• Light: Prefers full sun to optimize fruit production and the intensity of its fall colour, but tolerates partial shade well.
• Habit: Bushy and rounded, with upright stems. It has a tendency to sucker, forming a dense thicket over time.
• Growth: Moderate to fast, it establishes itself robustly to form a good-sized shrub.
• Soil: Extremely adaptable, it tolerates both dry and moist soils. It performs best in cool, well-drained soil.
• Temperature: Exceptionally hardy and perfectly suited to the Canadian climate.
• Resistances: Very high resistance to diseases, insects, drought, road salt, and pollution. It is also seldom browsed by deer.

Utilization

• Types of use: Excellent in mass plantings, as a specimen, or to form a natural or edible hedge. Ideal for naturalizing shorelines and for ecological gardens.
• Decorative advantages: Offers visual interest across three seasons: spring flowering, dark summer fruits contrasting with green foliage, and spectacular fall colour.

Maintenance

• Watering: Water regularly during the first year of establishment. Once established, it is very drought tolerant.
• Fertilization: Apply compost at the base of the shrub in the spring to support growth and fruiting.
• Pruning: Prune in late winter or early spring as needed, to remove dead wood or to control the spread of suckers if desired.
• Planting: Provide sufficient spacing to allow it to reach its mature width.
• Winter Protection: No winter protection is necessary.