Chokeberry

Black chokeberry earns its place in every season, starting with clusters of white spring flowers that attract pollinators. Glossy dark berries follow, prized for juice, jam, and baking. Come autumn, the leaves turn brilliant red and orange, rivaling the showiest fall shrubs. This hardy native handles both wet and sandy soils, so it fits rain gardens, hedges, and naturalized plantings. Give the seed a cold spell in the refrigerator or a winter outdoors, and young plants will soon be ready to fill an edible hedgerow.