Species Spotlight – Photinia floribunda

Here is a picture of a great native shrub species (purple chokeberry) that grows best in moist soil, full sun to part shade.  A stoloniferous shrub that easily grows to 8 feet and can stretch up to 10 feet tall.  Beautiful purple fruits in late summer and small but thick glossy green leaves.  Much better looking than red chokeberry yet doesn’t look out-of-place in the landscape like black chokeberry.

Since this is a natural-occurring species, the birds will eat the fruit quickly before the end of October.  Birds avoid eating the fruit of the common cultivar ‘brilliantissima’ as shown by fruits persisting throughout the winter into the spring. The Photinia floribunda fruits have some sweetness and might be useful jellied.

For help identifying this plant in the field, please see the Photinia floribunda ID post.