I have a small backyard in Seattle. This year, I ordered:
A. Autumn brilliance service berry
B. Centennial crab apple
I have space for only one more tree in the ground in full sun. Last year I planted a multi variety European plum in the ground. One of these three will have to go into a container. Which one would you recommend?
Although the service berry produces edible fruit it is barely palatable in my experience. It does have high value to wildlife and also as an ornamental plant. So if your remaining location is in a “showy” place then consider putting it in the ground.
Richard, thank you. It is in a showy place. It is right by the patio and would be very visible. I am happy to feed the birds. I have a small northline amelanchier elsewhere that makes delicious fruit.
There are many types of june berries as you know. The ones we grow are good ripe. They go by many names and every type of serviceberry has a different flavor in my opinion. They all taste somewhat alike. Some like you said are barely palatable. In my area i can only grow one type. We are to warm here to grow many of the serviceberries they grow further north.
@clarkinks
Do you know which of these species you have?
Amelanchier alnifolia
Amelanchier arborea
Amelanchier bartramiana
Amelanchier canadensis
Amelanchier humilis
Amelanchier interior
Amelanchier laevis
Amelanchier ovalis
Amelanchier sanguinea
Amelanchier spicata
Amelanchier utahensis
Don’t know which they are but if you want some i know who would know. Called up Gene and asked he send me some that would work for me. http://www.byronnursery.com/ . Gene Redlin only deals with commercial growers. He used to have four or five types Bare Root Plants Wholesale . If you called him and said i want serviceberries like the guy in Kansas ordered i bet he would remember me i ordered 2 batches of those serviceberries. He had to call around and find plugs for me. They are drought tolerant and grow about waste high. His phone number is here Contact Byron Wholesale Nursery . He only takes very large orders.
The story of my small orchard… 
Do you mainly eat them fresh?
Yes fresh is best in my opinion. If you freeze them they develop a cardboard like taste but my mom still makes good desserts out of them by adding lemon juice.
I assume you mean out of hand, unprepared.
It must be that native American blood in you. In my travels of western Canada and U.S., I have sampled ripe berries of A. alnifolia, canadensis, and ovalis. The local Rubus and Vaccinium were far better to my tastes.
The juneberries are very popular with visitors. They ripen in june obviously here. Kansas sun is hot and has a tendency to make sweet fruits. Have had peaches from Georgia and watermelon from Texas and Arkansas that was exceptional im assuming for similar reasons. Drought helps as well like they have in Colorado. Colorado peaches can be some of the best. @fruitnut hits high brix on his stone fruits there in west Texas.
I tasted berries from my amelanchier northline that I bought from native plants nursery too years ago. They were delicious fresh. I have not had any other variety yet.
That looks about like them. Take a look at this thread they look alot like yours Juneberries!
Thank you!! Those are some lovely shrubs in that thread! I recognize the fruit, Looking forward to eating some later in the year.
i have northline, jb30, smoky and wild A. Canadensis. only northline and the wild has fruited. northline is sweeter with more and bigger berries. i plan to graft over the wild to northline this spring.
How big is your smoky? How long have you had it?
I have been wanting to try one more small Amelanchier for fruit. I am considering regent.
just planted 2 of them last spring. they’re only about 12in.
Thank you my bushes are very short compared to those in the north but they work great for us. Glad you liked the photos. They do self seed frequently.
A Serviceberry,an unnamed alnifolia,is what I started with,planting fruiting bushes and trees around my yard.At that time,while reading about different varieties,a lady near New York City was starting to grow some and said she chose Regent and was excited.About two years later,she was finally able to try them.I can’t remember her exact words,but she was disgusted about her purchase and efforts.
I’ve tried Smoky and wasn’t thrilled and gave my plant away.The only one growing at my place now is Northline,which has good flavor and may be the most planted for U-pick in Canada.
If getting more,they’d be like the alnifolia that Steve has,from Canada,JB30 or Martin,Thiessen,Pembina and Honeywood.