I'd like people to reconsider the use of "Amelanchier" / "Serviceberry" as a "native" wildlife habitat plant. "Amelanchier" is only the genus name. "Serviceberry" is equivalent to the genus name. To plant any "Serviceberry" other than our wild-type native "Western Serviceberry" - Amelanchier alnifolia is adding non-native, possibly invasive species or domesticated versions of formerly wild species to our ecosystem.

Would we release European Blackbirds in Washington because they are of our "native" genus Turdus, as our Turdus migratorius - American Robin? Aren't "Blackbirds" native? How would we feel if those European Blackbirds started to displace the American Robins? What if they interbred and the American Robin as we knew it were disappearing in place of the mutt offspring? Would we release American Robins that were bred to have bright red, rather than orange breasts, because some bird fancier thought it would be cool to breed and sell Robins that were truely "Robin-red breasts TM". How would we feel if the genes started to spread to the rest of the population and our wild American Robins started to show up with increasing degrees of scarlet red in their breasts thanks to the efforts of that bird breeder? Nature is that which was not made by man.

Plants are wildlife too. The more we cover the surface of the earth with man made (culitvated) and other non-native plants the less room there is for the wildlife (native plants and other wildlife that depend on them) that is part of our natural heritage. It also creates habitat fragmentation, leaving native populations more isolated. Losing those natural type natives will also impact all of the species of wildlife that were adapted to live with those wild-type native plants. If the seeds or pollen spread, these non-natives won't be contained to the surface area you first planted them in. If a bird likes a berry of a non-native species or cultivar they will spread the seeds of those berries all over the place with their little packets of fertilizer, displacing the wild-type natives.

The lack of the full compliment of wild type natives on the land that would have them before EuroAmericans took control of that land means there will be a shortage of seed and pollen sources of the wild-type natives in the area.
If you want to enjoy our native birds, I would advise we not do so at the expense of the native, wild-type plants that they and all of the rest of our wildlife co-evolved with.

That said, I put wild type Amelanchier alnifolia - Western Serviceberry near the top of my native habitat plants for birds and others, generally for more sandy to gravelly soils, moist to dry (more moist if east of the Cascades). The native Crateagus douglasii - Douglas Hawthorn or C. suksdorfii -Suksdorf's Hawthorn (formerly considered a race of C. douglasii) are right up there with A. alnifolia for good bird and other wildlife food and cover plants. Both species tend to like some extra winter - spring moisture, but are tolerant of some late season drying.

I would recommend learning to identify Amelanchier alnifolia - Western Serviceberry and our native hawthorns. Go out and take a few cuttings or collect some seed or find a spot where more seedlings are sprouting than can grow, or are sprouting where they are sure to die. (I'm amazed at how many seedling A. alnifolia I see for every established shrub.) Then grow the plants from the cuttings or seeds or seedlings in your yard or restoration site. While you are out there pull some non-native weeds to pay nature for your cuttings or seeds or seedlings. If you pull enough invasives there will eventually be more of the A. alnifolia or native Crataegus in the site you took the starts than before you took them.

Humans can eat the berries of all of these species also, though the Amelianchier are substantially tastier than the Crataegus.

These species should also be available at the annual WNPS (Washington Native Plant Society) spring sale, you should be able to find the date and details by going to the WNPS website, which will come up first if you search "wnps". There are also some nurseries that do a fair job with selling wild-type natives.


-Stewart

Stewart Wechsler
-Ecological Consultant - Nature Guide
Naturalist - Botanist
206 932-7225
ecostewart at quidnunc.net
-Advice on the most site-appropriate native plants to maximize the site's potential for native biodiversity
-Educational programs, nature walks, and field trips for schools, public and private groups
-Botanical Surveys


----- Original Message -----
From: TedR
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 9:26 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] types of serviceberry?


A quick search of service berries at Raintree Nursery yeilds these:

Autumn Brilliance
Northline Serviceberry
Smokey Serviceberry
Theissen Serviceberry

and a Google search yeilds Pacific Serviceberry.

So, in all the discussions on Tweeters about Serviceberry, is it with one of these in mind or are they close enough genetically that they are being spoken of as a group? It appears from my initial research that they are similar. Does that mean of equal value for attracting birds and providing food?

All this talk has me thinking of adding these to our yard.

Thanks,

TedR
Fredrickson, WA
mailto:coffeemonkey101 ATcomcast DOT net