Chokeberries

The chokeberry is a genus in the rose family (Rosaceae) that originates in the east of the USA. In the Netherlands and Belgium we find the common chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) with red currants, the black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) with blackcurrant and the bastard chokeberry, also known as black chokeberry (Aronia × prunifolia) with aubergine currants; this is a cross between the two previous species.

Characteristics [

The deciduous bushes bloom with white blossom in the months of April and May and get edible red or black currants from mid-August to October. The leaf of the chokeberry turns yellow, red and purple in autumn. All #appelbessen grow preferably in damp to wet places, although they tolerate temporary drought well. They are gestation plants, which supply a lot of nectar, and are well visited by honey bees. The berries are happy to be eaten by birds like starlings and blackbirds. The latter also ensures the spread of the chokeberry. In wet nature areas such as at Giethoorn and along the Nieuwkoops lakes, the plant is fermented and displaces indigenous plants there. The berries are about the size of blueberries. The taste resembles that of blackberry with a strong wry aftertaste, which, however, disappears by cooking.

Use

The remodeling of this #bessen began at the beginning of the 20th century by the Russian botanist and plant grower Ivan Mitchurin who developed chokeberry as a fruit crop around 1910. Genetic research has clarified which plant species he has used for this purpose. First, a chokeberry with the wild mountain ash was crossed (Aronia melanocarpa × Sorbus aucuparia), resulting in the hybrid × Sorbaronia fallax. Subsequently, this plant was crossed back on Aronia melanocarpa. The result was plants with good fruiting, which are denoted by × Sorbaronia mitschurinii. The varieties sold as fruit crops, such as' Viking ',' Nero 'and' Serina ', belong to this hybrid.