Monday, December 26, 2011

Aronia Plants Often Called Chokeberries, Their Characteristics and Uses

Introduction

All natural pesticide free aronia berries chokeberries, also known as chokeberries, are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. These small berries have a flavorful, tart taste. Use aronia berries in baked goods, juices, wines, other beverages, and snacks. They can be added to fruit salads and baked with pies, cakes, muffins. Some also use aronia berries to make jelly yogurt, or ice cream.

The aronia black berry bush is often used as an ornamental shrub in gardens and is also grown for fruit production. The variety called Autumn Magic while not suitable for fruit production but makes a nice ornamental shrub for the garden. For fruit production the varieties Viking and Nero are the plants of choice.

Plant characteristics

The glossy bright green leaves are quite showy and emerge in April. They are 1-3" long, they are usually free from disease and pest problems. The leaves catch the sunlight quite nicely. The aronia shrubs have small black glands along the upper surfaces of the midribs of the leaves. This is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the plant. A spectacular white flower display is produced in the spring. The flowers set nicely against the lustrous foliage; the whitish- pink flowers grow in loose clusters of up to 8. Opening in mid-May, these clusters can reach 2" in width. The plant leaves darken as the season progresses. They produce glossy, pendulous clusters of black fruit suspended beneath lustrous green leaves in the late summer and fall. The purplish-black fruit is about 1/4" in diameter, hanging down in clusters of 10 or so. The berries are usually ready to harvest in mid September. The fall colors are excellent with colors ranging from crimson to wine-red to apricot, the leaves are splendid in late October and November.

Growing conditions

Seemingly phased by nothing, This shrub will tolerate almost any growing condition: swampy ground, dry sandy soil, clay soil, drought, salt, and pollution. It has a good root system and is sometimes used to stabilize banks to help keep them from eroding. It is needs good light but will tolerating partial shade but becoming leggier and under poor lighting conditions is sometimes affected by mildew.

Aronia is an extremely adaptable shrub for almost all seasons. Its pollution, drought, insect and disease tolerance are all reasons why it is favored to become and more and more popular plant as the health benefits of its fruit become more widely known. It has a high tolerance to varying conditions from boggy areas to drought, soil compaction, salt and mine spoils make it an ideal plant in parking lots, along roadsides and highways,.

Fruit production

From a fruit producing standpoint Viking and Nero varieties are very heavy producers of fruit yielding 20 pounds or more per plant making it a profitable crop to grow for fruit production. It was listed in "The Top Ten-Plus-One Shrubs for Minnesota", Minnesota Horticulturalist 106(6)152-154, June-July 1978.

Medicinal uses:

Aronia melanocarpa has a high concentration of polyphenols and anthocyanins, stimulating circulation, protecting the urinary tract, and strengthening the heart. The fruit is also nutritionally beneficial. Aronia berries have an antioxidant content three times the level of blueberries, and contain a high concentration of anthocyanins, which have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Some diabetics use aronia berries to help regulate blood sugar, and studies show they may be helpful in lowering weight and cholesterol. Aronia berries also contain many vitamins. Ongoing studies also suggest that Aronia may include compounds that fight cancer and cardiac disease.

Summary

Aronia Plants Often Called Chokeberries can grow under many different conditions and are useful as an ornamental shrub for the garden or as a an ideal plant in parking lots, along roadsides and highways. It is also a profitable fruit producing plant.

Purchase your pesticide free aronia and blueberries from (Blueberry Croft Farm and Nursery). We understand both the theory and practical applications of growing aronia and blueberries. The farm is a reputable source for quality aronia and blueberry plants. Over 30 varieties of blueberries are grown and sold. Viking aronia plants are available for sale. Purchase your plants and get more information from http://www.blueberrycroft.com/. Get free S/H on orders of $75+. © 2011 May be reproduced in entirety with live link


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