Coastal Serviceberry
Amelanchier obovalis
Found in pocosins, pine savannas, organic soil mats on granitic domes. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you
77
Strong
Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 100%
- Height
- 3–5 feet
- Spread
- 3–5 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to moist
Space about 4 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 6 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count
Will it fit your yard?
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- Spring
- Fruiting season
- May to June
Recorded in 27 Virginia counties.
Natural habitats
Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement.
1 of 2
Habitats
Pocosins and bay forests; pine savannas.
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there. All habitats
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
115CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA
Genus host records with ranges including VA · Amelanchier
- Limenitis arthemisRed-spotted Purple
- Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
- Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
- Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
- Acronicta fragilisFragile Dagger
- Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
- Acronicta innotataUnmarked Dagger
- Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
- Acronicta radcliffeiRadcliffe's Dagger
- Acronicta superansSplendid Dagger, Chieftain Dagger
Show all 115
- Actias lunaLuna Moth
- Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Ancylis fuscocilianaSpider-Web Leaffolder
- Ancylis nubeculanaApple Leaf Folder, Little Cloud Ancylis
- Anisota virginiensisPink-striped Oakworm Moth
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Archips cerasivoranaCherry Tent Caterpillar, Cherry Worm, Ugly Nest Caterpillar
- Autographa amplaLarge Looper Moth, Broken-Banded Y, Climbing Looper
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Balsa labeculaWhite-Blotched Balsa
- Balsa malanaMany-Dotted Balsa, Many-Dotted Appleworm
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
- Catocala blandulaCharming Underwing
- Catocala praeclaraPraeclara Underwing, Chokeberry Underwing, Charlotte's Underwing
- Catocala pretiosaPrecious Underwing, Texarkana Underwing
- Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis directanaChokecherry Leafroller Moth
- Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Cladara limitariaMottled Gray Carpet, Yellow-Lined Conifer Looper, Yellow-Lined Forest Looper, Black-Angled Wave
- Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
- Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
- Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
- Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
- Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
- Euchlaena tigrinariaMotted Euchlaena
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eupithecia columbiataColumbia Pug
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Eupsilia morrisoniMorrison's Sallow
- Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Glena cribratariaDotted Gray
- Grapholita prunivoraLesser Apple Worm
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
- Hedya chionosemaTwin-Spotted Budworm, White-Spotted Hedya
- Hedya separatanaPink-Washed Leafroller Moth
- Hesperumia sulphurariaSulphur Moth
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Hydriomena pluviataSharp Green Hydriomena
- Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Hyppa xylinoidesCommon Hyppa
- Limenitis archippusViceroy
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
- Lithophane patefactaDiomorphic Pinion, Branded Pinion
- Lomographa semiclarataBluish Spring Moth, Wildcherry Looper
- Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
- Lytrosis unitariaCommon Lytrosis
- Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
- Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
- Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
- Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
- Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
- Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
- Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
- Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthodes detractaDisparaged Arches, Disparaged Groundcat
- Orthosia alurinaGray Quaker
- Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
- Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
- Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
- Pandemis canadanaGreen Aspen Leaftier
- Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
- Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
- Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Paraclemensia acerifoliellaMaple Leafcutter, Maple Case-Bearer
- Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
- Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
- Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
- Phyllonorycter crataegellaApple Leaf Miner, Apple Blotch Leafminer, Apple Leafblotch Miner
- Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
- Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
- Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
- Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
- Satyrium titusCoral Hairstreak
- Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
- Semioscopis merriccellaMerrick's Semioscopis
- Sericaglaea signataVariable Sallow
- Sparganothis tristriataThree-Streaked Sparganothis
- Sphinx drupiferarumWild Cherry Sphinx
- Synanthedon exitiosaPeachtree Borer Moth, Western Peachtree Borer
- Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Venusia cambricaThe Welsh Wave
- Xylena nuperaRed Swordgrass Moth, American Swordgrass Moth, False Armyworm
- Bucculatrix pomifoliella
- Ectoedemia nyssaefoliella
- Parornix crataegifoliella
8BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Amelanchier
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
16BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Amelanchier
- Bombycilla cedrorumCedar Waxwing
- Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
- Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
- Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
- Catharus fuscescensVeery
- Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
- Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
- Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
- Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
- Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
Show all 16
- Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak
- Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
- Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
- Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
- Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
- Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 5a–8b
- Soil pH
- Acidic
- Flower color
- White
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Growth habit
- Several stems
- Foliage color
- Dark green
- Fruit begins
- May
- Fruit ends
- June
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “Spring” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), USDA PLANTS differ)
- Flower color · “White” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Foliage color · “Dark green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit begins · “May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Hardiness · “Zones 5a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “3–5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- primary_flower_color · “white” · USDA PLANTS
- Soil · “Good drainage; Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “3–5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Conservation status
| Virginia rank | SU |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G4G5 |
| VA status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
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Sources
- Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Weakley), phone app (app page)
- FloraQuest: Northern Tier (Weakley), phone app (app page)
- NatureServe Explorer
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications