Selecting Pome Fruit Crops and Varieties - Growing Organic Orchard Fruits - page 195

Saskatoons at a Glance

Region: Very hardy and adaptive; some varieties survive and are pro-
ductive in Fairbanks, Zone 2 (−40 to −50°F [−40 to −46°C]).

Soil pH and type: Performs best on loam and sandy soils but tolerates
a wide range of soils. Needs good drainage.

Pollination: Generally self-fertile. Cross-pollination can help improve
fruit set and quality in some locations.

Variety selection: Only about 26 varieties have been named.

We recognize about 20 species of saskatoons (a.k.a. serviceberries or June-
berries) in the genus Amelanchier . Most cultivated varieties come from A.
alnifolia , which grows wild from the Desert Southwest to Alaska and east
to Manitoba and the Dakotas. Saskatoons were important to many Native
American and First Peoples groups in North America. They are grown com-
mercially, mostly in Canada's Prairie Provinces, and are becoming popular
ornamental plants with showy white blossoms in early spring.

Climate and habitat concerns. Saskatoons are remarkably adaptive and
hardy plants. Some varieties tolerate winter temperatures around −60°F
(−51°C). Orchardists in Fairbanks, Alaska (65 North latitude, Zone 2a), grow

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saskatoons, with the varieties 'Martin' and 'Smokey' being popular. Saska-
toons are among the earliest fruit crops to bloom, and frost damage can be
a problem, so locate saskatoons on your least frost-prone site.
The plants tolerate a wide range of soil types and pH but generally per-
form best on loams and sandy loams. I have grown them on silt loams, but
good drainage is necessary. If your soil is heavy or otherwise poorly drained,