Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa 'UCONNAM165' LOW SCAPE MOUND)
Discover Aronia melanocarpa 'UCONNAM165' LOW SCAPE MOUND, a compact Black chokeberry perfect for ground cover, offering white spring flowers and edible fruit.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND, commonly known as Black chokeberry, is highly valued for its compact size and dense, mound-forming habit, making it an excellent low-maintenance structural plant. This specific cultivar offers four-season interest, starting with spring white flowers, progressing to glossy green summer foliage, transitioning into striking red and orange fall color, and concluding with ornamental black berries. It establishes easily across a wide spectrum of soil types, thriving where many woody plants struggle, while maintaining a manageable 1 to 2-foot height perfect for modern landscapes.
This selection ensures that gardeners can integrate the desirable traits of Black chokeberry without managing the more aggressive heights or sprawling nature sometimes found in the species form. The cultivar ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND is particularly recognized for its reliability and superior landscape performance as a ground cover or low border element. Its resilience and adaptability make it a practical choice for areas requiring consistent coverage and minimal intervention.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Rosaceae
- Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1-2 ft
- Spread: 3-4 ft
- Bloom Time: May
- Bloom Description: White
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND should be planted in spring or fall for best establishment. It prefers well-drained, average soils, although this tough shrub shows wide tolerance, happily accepting boggy conditions. For the best display of its dark, edible fruits, ensure the plant receives plenty of sunlight, favoring full sun locations.
Water consistently during the establishment phase to promote deep root growth. Once established, the Black chokeberry requires only medium water and is notably low maintenance. Fertilization is rarely needed; focus instead on maintaining soil health.
Pruning should be minimal, generally limited to removing any dead wood in early spring. A key management consideration for this suckering shrub is controlling its spread. If you wish to prevent colonial spread, actively remove root suckers that emerge outside the desired planting area.
Landscape Uses
The diminutive stature of Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND makes it an exemplary ground cover shrub where its mounding habit creates excellent texture. It excels when massed in shrub borders, softening the edges of pathways, or filling in open woodland areas where grass establishment is difficult.
Because of its ability to withstand wetter environments, this Black chokeberry is uniquely suited for stabilizing banks near ponds or streams, acting as a durable transition plant between water features and drier ground. It performs well in small gardens or foundation plantings where its tidy profile stays reliably under window height.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Fruit Qualities
- Showy
- Edible
Noteworthy Characteristics
Aronia melanocarpa, commonly called black chokeberry, is generally known for being an open, upright, spreading, somewhat rounded but leggy, suckering, deciduous shrub that typically grows 3-6’ tall in its standard form. This specific cultivar, ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND, provides a compact, low-growing stature, reaching only up to 2’ tall with a dense, mound-forming habit that spreads to 4’. It is noted for its clusters of white flowers in spring, glossy deep green summer foliage, and excellent red/orange fall coloration, followed by tart black autumn berries.
Tolerances
- Tolerates wet conditions
Potential Problems
This shrub is generally robust, exhibiting no serious insect or disease problems under normal conditions. Gardeners should monitor for occasional susceptibility to leaf spots and, less commonly, twig or fruit blight. Good air circulation, achieved through proper spacing, can help mitigate fungal issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Black chokeberry suitable for?
Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND is hardy and adaptable, suitable for USDA Zones 4 through 8.
How large does Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND grow?
This compact selection typically reaches a mature height between 1 and 2 feet tall, spreading gracefully between 3 and 4 feet wide.
What sun exposure does this Black chokeberry need?
For optimal performance, especially fruit production, it requires full sun, though it tolerates partial shade conditions as well.
When does Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND bloom?
It produces small white flowers clustered together in mid-May, providing early season interest before the fruit develops.
Conclusion
The Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND offers undeniable value as a low-maintenance, tough landscape plant providing sequential seasonal interest from flowers to dramatic fall color. Incorporating this compact Black chokeberry ensures reliable coverage and structural form in challenging sites. Before planting, confirm your garden falls within USDA Zones 4–8 to guarantee success with this versatile shrub.
Companion Planting
When designing beds around Aronia melanocarpa ‘UCONNAM165’ LOW SCAPE MOUND, select companions that appreciate similar moisture levels and sun exposure. Plants that thrive in part shade to full sun and tolerate medium to wet soils are ideal partners. Consider using native ferns near the edges of its planting area, especially in shadier locations, or pair it with ornamental grasses that offer contrasting vertical structure. Low-growing sedges are another excellent choice for an informal, naturalized ground cover effect surrounding the mound shape.
Wildlife Benefits
While the fruits of Black chokeberry are extremely astringent, they persist into winter, providing a crucial late-season food source for various bird species when other berries have been consumed. The spring flowers are small but attractive to many generalist pollinators searching for early nectar sources. Planting this native shrub supports local ecosystems by providing necessary flora structure and late-season food security.
