The selection of Aronia species and varieties is large and ranges from red or black chokeberries to unusual hybrids. We present the best Aronia species and varieties.

The chokeberry (Aronia) can be found in more and more gardens, because in addition to their magnificent autumn colors, the extremely he althy fruits are also increasingly appreciated. But before planting, the first thing to do is to choose the species and variety. We introduce you to the three most important types and varieties of chokeberry as well as other exciting hybrids.
Aronia varieties and species at a glance
The chokeberry (Aronia) comes from North America and developed there into the two types of chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) and tomentose chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia). A cross between these two resulted in the plum-leaved chokeberry (Aronia x prunifolia). Chokeberries belong to the rose family (Rosaceae). They are distant with Apple (Malus) and Rose (Rosa), closer still with European Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia ) related. The flowers and fruits are very similar in shape and it is no coincidence that the synonyms for aronia: "black mountain ash" or "dwarf ash". This resulted in several exciting natural hybrids and breeds of aronia and mountain ash, which we would like to introduce to you below under X Sorbaronia .
Aronia melanocarpa: The Black Chokeberry
The name of this Aronia species is made up of the Greek words melano from "mélas" (black) and carpa from "karpós". ’ (fruit) together, thus indicating the conspicuous color of the fruit. The black or bald chokeberry has small elliptical leaves and shiny black fruits, 6 to 10 mm in diameter. The plants are not hairy, which distinguishes them from other species. After a few more varieties were assigned to the Aronia x prunifolia, only one variety is still available.
- 'Hugin': Aronia variety from Sweden, which propagates true to the variety from its own seedscan be. This is possible because this variety forms fruits and seeds without pollination, which carry exactly the same genetic information. The approximately 1.5 m high shrubs bear plenty of fruit, which can be harvested from mid-September to mid-October. The chokeberry 'Hugin' is also extremely hardy down to -35 °C.

Aronia x prunifolia: The plum-leaved chokeberry
The plum-leaved chokeberry is the result of a cross between Aronia melanocarpa and Aronia arbutifolia. The plants are slightly hairy and have larger leaves than the black chokeberry, but the fruit color is the same. The black-violet fruits are not very shiny, rather dull and weigh 1 to 1.5 g each. The following varieties are classified as plum-leaved chokeberries:
- ‘Aron’: A variety from Denmark with a very good fruit load. The fruits are slightly smaller than other varieties.
- 'Königshof': Selection of the Higher Federal Teaching and Research Institute (HBLFA) for horticulture at Schönbrunn near Vienna. The high-yielding variety produces medium-sized fruits weighing around 1.5 g.
- 'Nero': Chokeberry with a late but high yield of medium-sized fruits, which are clustered in large umbels. The bushes of Aronia 'Nero' grow more upright than the wild form A. melanocarpa.
- 'Viking': Chokeberry from Finnish breeding with large fruits weighing about 1.5 g. The richly draped shoots overhang at harvest time. Aronia 'Viking' plants reach a height of 1 to 1.5 m.
- 'Rubina': Hungarian crossing of 'Viking' with a Russian variety. The large fruits, weighing up to 1.8 g, ripen early in August on 2 m high bushes.

Aronia arbutifolia: the felty chokeberry
The felty chokeberry is also known as red chokeberry because the fruits remain bright red even when fully ripe. This species occurs wild in North America and inspires late in the year with the bright dark red autumn color. It grows to a height of 1 to 2 meters and is extremely hardy and robust against all kinds of pests and diseases.
- 'Brilliant': Chokeberry with initially upright and later overhanging growth up to 2 m in height. The white flowers with pink stamens sit loosely on the shoot from May to June. The red fruits ripen from mid-Augustand taste sweet and sour. The orange-red autumn color of this variety is particularly splendid.
- 'Erecta': Upright to 2.5 m tall and wide tomentose chokeberry. After the flowering period in May and June, pea-sized, red fruits ripen from August. The shrub, which turns bright red in autumn, forms many offshoots.

X Sorbaronia: Aronia Rowan Hybrid
- ‘Fallax’: Hybrid of mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) and Aronia melanocarpa, which is also known as tree ash. The large shrub can grow up to 4 m high and just as wide when old. The fruits are red-black in color and taste sweet and sour. They can be enjoyed raw or made into jams and juice.
- ‘Ivan’s Beauty’: Hybrid of mountain ash and A. melanocarpa. The shrub can reach a height of 2 m and has pinnate leaves. The deep red, frosted fruits ripen in August, taste sweet and sour and are good for processing.
- 'Likornaja': Hybrid of mountain ash and plum-leaved chokeberry. It grows like a shrub up to 2.5 m in height. The yield of the black-red fruits is lower than that of 'Titan', the taste is sweet and slightly astringent, i.e. dry and astringent in the mouth.
- ‘Titan’: Hybrid of mountain ash and A. melanocarpa. This small tree can reach a height of 3 to 4 m and has pinnate leaves that turn dark red in autumn. The variety is extremely productive, in good years 15 to 35 kg of the violet-red, 1.5 cm large fruits hang on a tree. The taste is sweet and aromatic, but significantly less bitter than mountain ash and therefore ideal for processing.
- 'Saule': Natural crossing of mountain ash with Michurin's chokeberry (Aronia mitschurinii), discovered in Lapland. The latter was created by the Russian breeder Michurin by crossing A. melanocarpa produced with other Aronia species and varieties. The small tree reaches a height of 3 to 5 m, has pinnate leaves and bears large, bright red fruits with a sweet, aromatic taste.

Similar to chokeberries, most species of service pear (Amelanchier) come from North America. With us you will learn everything about the cultivation, harvest and use of the "raisin tree".