How Fast Do Red Chokeberry Trees Grow?

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Paul has a two-acre yard on red clay soil in Southeast Texas. He knows exactly what the challenges are to nurturing a thriving yard in difficult soil.Paul takes a practical approach to yard improvement and enjoys putting best practices and “golden rules of lawn care” to the test.

How Long Do Red Chokeberry Trees Live?

Red Chokeberry trees are expected to live up to twenty years in the best growing conditions. That’s twenty years with moist, well-draining soil and direct sunlight for at least six hours a day.

These shrubs are surprisingly adaptable. While they can tolerate wetter-than-moist conditions (and can even grow in standing water), they thrive best in sandy soil with proper drainage. Still, the fact that they are malleable to the external environment is a sign of durability and longevity.

Keep reading to explore more about the Red Chokeberry tree and how to care for one properly!

Growth Behavior and Characteristics of Red Chokeberry Trees

The Appearance of Red Chokeberry Trees

The Red Chokeberry bush, scientifically known as Aronia arbutifolia, is a large, deciduous bush that produces large, colorful leaves, white flowers, and edible red berries. The leaves initially bloom green and turn red throughout the late summer and fall months.

It usually takes at least three years before a Red Chokeberry tree starts producing fruits (source). And when they do, the fruiting season often starts in the middle of the fall and lasts well until winter. The berries are juicy and tart, often used in jams and syrups.

The bush is vigorous, hardy, and tolerant of many growing conditions. It’s native to Eastern North America (the border between Canada and the United States) and has been seen growing in a variety of conditions, from bogs to drylands (source).

The Red Chokeberry Tree Spreads Through Suckers

The Chokeberry bush is a self-spreading bush, propagating new growth through underground suckers. This method pushes up new shoots of the shrub around its original planting site and will grow larger and more extensive the more shoots it produces.

This growth behavior is good for gardeners with plenty of space and who want a more natural look in their garden. However, it can be challenging for those that want a neat, well-manicured garden.

Pruning the sucker offshoots of the Red Chokeberry bush is simple. Using sterilized shears, cut the offshoots at the bottom of the stem, just before it enters the soil. This will ensure that the chokeberry bush doesn’t grow out of control.

You’ll need to prune your bush every few months to prevent extra growth.

Propagating a Red Chokeberry Tree

The Chokeberry is a perennial shrub, meaning it returns every year after it’s planted and rooted. It is a genus in the Rosaceae plant family, home to trees that produce many other fruits, such as apples, pears, and cherries (source).

It’s very straightforward to care for the Red Chokeberry tree because the plant is relatively self-sufficient. Another fun fact about the Red Chokeberry is that it is very easily propagated. You can grow a chokeberry bush from seedlings and cuttings.

Here are the steps to grow new Red Chokeberry trees from cuttings:

Use sterilized shears to cut from the parent tree just below a node.
Remove all of the leaves from the cutting and place the cutting in a container of moist peat moss away from direct light.
Mist the cutting as necessary. Roots should grow after several weeks.

Red Chokeberry Tree Care Tips

Since Red Chokeberry trees naturally grow very slowly, you might want to ensure that they are properly cared for. Otherwise, they will grow even slower and you won’t be able to enjoy their colorful foliage and fruits sooner.

If you want to grow a Red Chokeberry bush in your garden or on your lawn, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure that it’s growing in the best possible conditions.

Red Chokeberry Trees Need Full Sun or Partial Shade

To start, the bush grows best in direct sunlight. At least six hours of direct sunlight is necessary for more bountiful flowers and fruits, so choose the location accordingly. It can also grow in shade or dappled light, but the plant will become leggier in the long run.

Red Chokeberry Trees Can Tolerate Various Soil Conditions

Once the Red Chokeberry tree is newly planted, it’s essential to give it enough water for the roots to establish. For this reason, you should water your Chokeberry tree twice a week for the first few months, which will encourage the roots to grow strong.

Afterward, watering the bush once a week should suffice. A mature Red Chokeberry tree can thrive in dry to moist soil conditions (source).

Red Chokeberry Trees Need Pruning in Winter

The plant will produce berries, and its leaves will turn to shades of orange and red when the autumn months hit.

In the winter, prune your bush back once it goes dormant for the season. Pruning will encourage new growth the following year. The berries can also be consumed until the bush’s dormancy period. They become sweeter the longer they remain on the parent tree.

See our guide on How To Prune a Red Chokeberry Bush: 5 Easy Steps.

Red Chokeberry Trees are Resistant to Many Pests and Diseases

The Aronia arbutifolia doesn’t attract many pests, nor does it contract many plant diseases. Additionally, when grown in the city, they don’t draw in many animals either. Chokeberries can be toxic to some animals – especially dogs – but are preferred treats for deer, elk, and bears.

The bush may grow outwards, or its branches will hang down, similar to a weeping willow tree but much smaller.

Again, it’s an incredibly easy bush to take care of and doesn’t need unique soil or fertilizer to grow. So, if you’re looking for a simple, self-sufficient shrub that will spark up the appearance of your lawn or garden, the Red Chokeberry tree is the plant to choose.

Final Thoughts

The Red Chokeberry tree grows slowly and can take about five years to mature. They can live for nearly twenty years with moist, well-draining soil and direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day.

They are hardy bushes that grow white flowers and small, dime-sized chokeberries. The shrub’s leaves are green but change color to fiery red throughout the fall months.

After reading this article, you should have a better understanding of how fast the Red Chokeberry tree grows, how long it lives, and how best to care for it for optimum growth.

Recommended Reading:

Chokeberry vs. Chokecherry: 7 Key Differences