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Aronia ×prunifolia (Marshall) Rehder (pro sp.)
Red chokeberry
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Rosales | Rose family and eight others |
| Family | Rosaceae | Includes apples, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, almonds, roses, meadowsweets, photinias, firethorns, rowans, and hawthorns; many others |
| Genus | Aronia | From the Greek aria, which is the specific epithet of a mountain ash (Sorbus aria) which has similar fruit |
| Species | ×prunifolia | |
About plant names...
Wild chokeberries like the red chokeberry are native to eastern North America.
Identification: These reach up to 8' (2.4 m) in height, with a spread
of about 4' (1.2 m). They are composed of many thin, flexible stems and assume a tall, thin overall shape.
Leaves are alternate, obovate, 1½-3½" (3.8-8.9 cm) × ½-¾" (1.3-1.9 cm), shiny on top, finely hairy and grayish green below, with fine serrations. In the fall, leaves are reddish purple or bright red.
Blooms are white, sometimes pinkish, with five petals, about ¼" (6.3 mm) around, and fragrant. Berries are bright red and fairly hard, about ⅜" (9.5 mm), like tiny apples. Berries are about ¼" (6.3 mm) around, in clusters, and last well into winter.
Don’t confuse chokeberries and chokecherries.
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Parking lot · 9/25/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Hospital, Ayer, Massachusetts
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm)  ID is uncertain 
9/3/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm) ID is uncertain
10/18/2008 · Kimball’s Ice Cream, Westford, Massachusetts
≈ 12 × 8" (29 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain
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