Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles
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'Amelanchier asiatica' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.
A deciduous tree, of very graceful habit, 15 to 40 ft high, branches slender. Leaves oval or ovate, pointed, 11⁄2 to 3 in. long, half as much wide, sometimes nearly or wholly entire, but mostly toothed except at the base; covered when quite young with a loose floss which soon falls away, leaving both surfaces quite glabrous. Flowers on stalks 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 in. long, in broad, erect racemes 11⁄2 to 21⁄2 in. long; white, fragrant; petals strap-shaped, 5⁄8 in. long. Fruit black-purple, about the size of a black currant.
Native of China, Korea, and Japan, introduced from the last-named country in 1865. The Chinese form, which is sometimes given varietal rank as var. sinica Schneid., differs little from the type; it was introduced in 1920. It is not easy to distinguish A. asiatica from some of the forms of A. arborea, but at Kew it always flowers two or three weeks later (usually in mid-May, when the leaves are about full size), and the petals are uniformly strap-shaped. Also, the top of the ovary is woolly, while in A. arborea it is glabrous. A slender, elegant tree.
A deciduous tree, of very graceful habit, 15 to 40 ft high, branches slender. Leaves oval or ovate, pointed, rounded or sometimes cordate at the base, 11⁄2 to 3 in. long, half as much wide, sometimes nearly or wholly entire, but mostly finely toothed except at the base, covered when quite young with a loose floss which soon falls away, leaving both surfaces quite glabrous. Flowers white, slightly fragrant, in rather broad racemes 11⁄2 to 21⁄2 in. long; pedicels 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 in. long. Petals strap-shaped, about 5⁄8 in. long. Top of ovary woolly. Fruits black-purple, about the size of a black currant.
Native of Japan, Korea and China; introduced from Japan in 1865. The Chinese race, which is sometimes given varietal rank as var. sinica Schneid., differs little from the type; it was introduced in 1920. It is not always easy to distinguish this amelanchier from A. arborea, but at Kew it always flowers two or three weeks later (usually in mid-May), when the leaves are fully expanded. Also the top of the ovary is woolly, while in A. arborea it is glabrous. A slender, elegant tree, colouring red or orange in the autumn.