Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Rosales>Rosaceae>Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Pers.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) flowers

Red Chokeberry is a common upright, open shrub with white flower clusters in spring and red fruits in fall and winter.

Pender Co., NC 4/19/08.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) flowers

Durham, NC 4/5/09.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) flowers

Durham, NC 4/5/08.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Red Chokeberry differs from Black Chokeberry (A. melanocarpa), which grows only in the Mountains, in having pubescence on the branches of inflorescence and on the undersides of the leaves (Black Chokeberry is glabrous) as well as fruit color (red vs. black).

Durham, NC 4/1/07.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Red Chokeberry differs from the rarer Purple Chokeberry (A. prunifolia) in the amount of pubescence on the underside of the leaves (densely pubescent for Red, sparsely for Purple), as well as fruit color (red vs. purple).

Durham, NC 4/11/05.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Aronia taxonomy is confusing -- the genus Aronia is sometimes lumped in with Sorbus, Pyrus, or even Photinia.

Durham, NC 4/11/05.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Scotland Co., NC 4/20/05.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Ripening fruits.

Durham Co., NC 7/4/03.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) fruit

The bright red fruits last throughout the winter.

Durham, NC 4/5/08.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

The dark hairs on the upper surface of the leaf midrib make it easy to distinguish Aronia from other local shrubs.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

The leaves are densely white-pubescent beneath.

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Bark detail.

More information:
Green Beam
NC State
University of Connecticut
Virginia Tech Dendrology

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