Plant Finder

Description:

An excellent shrub for massing or grouping, spreads by suckers; pretty white flowers, brilliant red berries and fiery scarlet fall color are more reliable than the species, a superb and very popular choice

As Seen at The Morton Arboretum

These woody plants are found at The Morton Arboretum in their commonly visited spaces including the Visitor Center, Meadow Lake, and Children's Garden. They have proved to be hardy, beautiful, long-lived plants that easily fit into the home landscape.

Ornamental Features

Brilliantissima Red Chokeberry is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. It features an abundance of magnificent red berries from early fall to late winter. It features showy panicles of white flowers with brick red anthers at the ends of the branches in mid spring. It has forest green deciduous foliage. The oval leaves turn an outstanding scarlet in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Brilliantissima Red Chokeberry is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering

Brilliantissima Red Chokeberry is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Brilliantissima Red Chokeberry will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is an amazingly adaptable plant, tolerating both dry conditions and even some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.