Snowy Mespilus
Amelanchier ovalis
The genus name Amelanchier is derived from 'amelancier', the old French Provençal name for this specific species.
- Scientific name
- Amelanchier ovalis
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Rosales › Rosaceae › Amelanchier
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Rocky mountain slopes, limestone cliffs, open deciduous forests, and scrubby hillsides.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (utilizes sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide via photosynthesis).
- Range
- Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Atlas Mountains, Caucasus
- Size
- Deciduous shrub growing 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) in height.
- Lifespan
- 30-50 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Encroaching forest closure (loss of open rocky habitats due to lack of natural disturbance), overgrazing by wild ungulates, and localized land development.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and safe to approach. The Snowy Mespilus is a non-toxic shrub. Its ripe, dark purple-blue berries are edible and sweet, but always ensure correct botanical identification before consuming wild fruit to avoid confusion with toxic lookalikes.
Amelanchier ovalis , commonly known as snowy mespilus , is serviceberry shrub. Its pome fruits are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. The species is native to central and southern Europe, as well as North Africa and the Middle East.
Photo: Алена Ручка, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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