Discover: Chokeberries

• The chokeberries (Aronia) are two to three species of deciduous shrubs in the family Rosaceae, native to eastern North America. 
• They are most commonly found in wet woods and swamps. 
• Chokeberries are cultivated as ornamental plants and also because they are very high in antioxidant pigment compounds, like anthocyanins. 
• The name "chokeberry" comes from the astringency of the fruits which are inedible when raw. 
• The berries can be used to make wine, jam, syrup, juice, soft spreads, tea and tinctures. 
• The fruits are eaten by birds (birds do not taste astringency and feed on them readily), which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. 
• The chokeberries are often mistakenly called chokecherries, which is the common name for Prunus virginiana. 
• Further adding to the ambiguity, there is a cultivar of Prunus virginiana named 'Melanocarpa' , easily confused with Aronia melanocarpa. 
• Chokecherries are also high in antioxidant pigment compounds, like anthocyanins, further contributing to confusion. In fact, the two plants are only distantly related within the Rosaceae.