Plant Details

Aronia arbutifolia

Red Chokeberry

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Aronia arbutifolia.

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Common names

17 names · 13 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (12)
Dutch
  • Gewone appelbes
  • Rode appelbes[2]
French
  • Aronie à feuilles d'arbousier[2]
  • Aronie à fruits rouges[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 红山楸梅[2]
  • 红苦味果[2]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 紅山楸梅[2]
Czech
  • temnoplodec planikolistý[2]
Danish
  • Brunfrugtet surbær[2]
Finnish
  • puna-aronia[2]
German
  • Rotfrüchtige Apfelbeere[1]
Lithuanian
  • Raudonvaisė aronija[2]
Russian
  • Арония арбутусолистная[2]
Slovak
  • arónia jahodovcovitá[2]
Swedish
  • röd aronia[2]
  • rödaronia[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Pers. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Red chokeberry (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 171829; taxon GTSG.
  • Rotfrüchtige Apfelbeere (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 171830; taxon GTSG.
[2] Aronia arbutifolia — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • red chokeberry — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • Brunfrugtet surbær — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • Rode appelbes — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • puna-aronia — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • temnoplodec planikolistý — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • Арония арбутусолистная — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • rödaronia — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • röd aronia — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • 红苦味果 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • 紅山楸梅 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • 红山楸梅 — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • Raudonvaisė aronija — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • Aronie à feuilles d'arbousier — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • Aronie à fruits rouges — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.
  • arónia jahodovcovitá — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 151797; Aronia arbutifolia.

General information

Scientific name: Aronia arbutifolia
Accepted name (Kew): Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Pers. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Aronia (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Red Chokeberry
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 1.83–3.66 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 0.91–1.52 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Slow
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Columnar, Erect, Multi-stemmed, Multi-trunked, Open, Spreading, Vase

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Frequent Standing Water, Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Wet

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt)
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
None

Description

Fruit can be eaten both raw and cooked. It is also possible to dry it and use it to make pemmican. The quality of the fruit varies widely; some forms are quite pleasant when ripe, especially if they have had some frost. The fruit has a diameter of about 7 mm and can hang on the plant for several months.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/08
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 838120; name ID 2942273; Aronia Medik.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 838156; name ID 2942281; Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Pers..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Aronia arbutifolia

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 4851978, ID GTSG: Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Pers. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Aronia arbutifolia — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .