Chokeberry (Aronia Melanocarpa)

Any one growing one of these, I have just spotted it in local nursery, the fruit are suppose to be highly nutritious, I thought they would be good to mix with black and red currants and blueberry maybe but have since discovered they are very bitter raw and may take a lot of sugar in stewing. So Perhaps they may be best left on the shrub for the birds, that is if the birds will go for them if they are bitter.

Would be interested to hear from any one who is growing one of these and how they enjoy living with it in the garden.

Here is bbc link about it which says its good for small gardens: http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/11305.shtml

but this link shows a picture of one in eastern north America and it looks too big for a small garden to me:

http://www.antioxidant-fruits.com/aronia-plant-description.html

I am wondering if in UK climate it does grow smaller, I thought maybe I should have gone for the red berry one but then its the black berry one that is packed with antioxidants and used in juice.

This weather in UK is lousy at the moment, the season is so late starting for planting I wonder if anything is going to make it. Although the blueberries and currants are in flower at the moment so that is something. Desperate for some warm sunshine. Hope all are well.

PS anyone want help in their garden in spain or somewhere warm, will work in the garden for free accommodation

 

We grow it. We get a very good crop (when the blackbirds are kept away from it). The berries contain seeds which are stuffed full of Cyannins which makes them inedible. We cook the ripe berries to a purée. That is drained through a muslin cloth and the juice is used to make a Jam. I asked the Jam maker about the proportions of sugar to juice but she is in a fumy mood so declined to answer.
The shrub reaches about 6 feet in every direction in our rich, silt soil. It is kept in a Fruit cage or we would get no fruit at all. the one out in the garden is stripped even before the berries are half ripe.

 

Thanks Palustris, that is great information, I am glad the birds like it too. I am wondering if it might be too big for my garden now 6ft in all directions. Although my info that came with it says it doesn't mind being pruned, so I guess could keep it smaller in width, I don't mind the height. Do you prune yours at all?

The juice is suppose to be highly nutritious, but I'll bet the jam you make with it is declicious and nutritious. What sugar ratio are you using at the moment? Some sour fruits its a lb of sugar to a lb of fruit but I always try and reduce the amount of sugar, sometimes you can add sweet fruits to help sweeten the sour and use less sugar but I guess it would be trial and error.

Thanks for replying.

 

She says 1lb of sugar to 1 pt of liquid, but I like a 'sharp' jam so maybe as you say mix in some sweeter fruit. No pectin needed, indeed if you are not careful it sets like treacle.

Pruning the bush after fruiting has had no bad effect on the plant.

 

Thanks Palustris