{"product_id":"brilliant-red-chokeberry","title":"Brilliant Red Chokeberry","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"pd-title-head\"\u003e\n  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAronia arbutifolia\u003c\/em\u003e 'Brilliantissima'\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mass plantings and naturalized borders, damp and low-lying ground, bank and slope stabilization, wildlife plantings, narrow spaces where a tall shrub is needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenefits:\u003c\/strong\u003e Glossy red fruit that ripens in early fall and stays on the plant into winter, fall foliage in an unusually saturated scarlet, and a narrow upright frame that fits where broader shrubs will not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4–9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full Sun, Partial Sun\/Shade\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLife Cycle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deciduous Shrub\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Upright, Spreading — narrow multi-stemmed frame from a suckering base.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e White\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Green, maturing to Red in fall\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Height:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6–8 feet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Width:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3–4 feet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mid to late spring\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSummary\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThree seasons of interest on a plant most people walk right past at the nursery in May.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Brilliantissima' is a selected form of the native red chokeberry, chosen for larger, glossier fruit and substantially better fall color than the wild species. White flower clusters open in mid to late spring, followed by berries that color to a deep glossy red by early fall and hold on the plant well into winter — birds leave them until nearly everything else is gone, which is exactly why the display lasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe fall foliage is the reason the cultivar exists. It turns a clean, saturated scarlet, holds for a solid stretch, and does it reliably rather than only in good years. Set against the red fruit already on the stems, the combination is one of the strongest autumn shows available in a native shrub.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe habit is worth planning for: upright and narrow, six to eight feet tall against only three or four feet wide, suckering slowly at the base and tending to go bare at the bottom with age. That makes it excellent in a mass, in a narrow bed, or behind lower plants — and awkward as a lone specimen in an open lawn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is native to wetlands and low woods across the eastern United States and keeps that tolerance in cultivation, handling wet ground and heavy clay as readily as ordinary garden soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrilliant Red Chokeberry Care\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in full sun to partial shade. Sun produces the heaviest fruit set and the strongest fall color; in shade the plant grows looser and colors less.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSoil is not a limiting factor. Chokeberry grows in wet ground, heavy clay, sand, and average loam across a range of pH, and tolerates both periodic flooding and moderate dryness once established. It prefers acidic soil but is not rigid about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater through the first growing season. After that supplemental water is needed only in extended drought.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFeeding is generally unnecessary. In poor soil, one spring application of a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/slow-release-fertilizer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eslow release fertilizer\u003c\/a\u003e is enough for the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrune in late winter before growth begins. Because the plant grows narrow and opens up at the base with age, the useful maintenance is renewal pruning — cut a few of the oldest canes to the ground each year, and the suckers coming up from the base will fill the gap. Plants that have gotten badly leggy can be cut back hard and will regrow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSize\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Size is the Brilliant Red Chokeberry for Sale Online?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur Brilliant Red Chokeberry ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/pages\/contact\" title=\"Contact Almanac Planting Co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003econtact us\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow Large Does Brilliant Red Chokeberry Grow?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExpect roughly 6 to 8 feet tall and only 3 to 4 feet wide — distinctly narrow for its height, and widening slowly by suckers. Growth is moderate. Space 3 feet on center for a solid mass or screen; planting in groups of three or more covers the bare lower stems that develop with age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAdditional Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some common names for this plant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis shrub is sold as Red Chokeberry or Brilliant Red Chokeberry. 'Brilliantissima' is the cultivar name and appears on the tag as often as either common name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAre the berries edible?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey are edible but sharply astringent, which is where the name chokeberry comes from. Red chokeberry is grown as an ornamental rather than a fruit crop — if you want aronia berries for juice or preserves, black chokeberry is the species that gets used for that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy does it look bare at the bottom?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat is normal for the species as it ages. The plant grows tall and narrow and drops its lower branches over time. Cutting a few of the oldest canes to the ground each winter encourages fresh suckers from the base, and planting in groups rather than singly keeps the lower half from being conspicuous. Other native selections are in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/native-plants\"\u003eNative Plants of North America\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow does it handle wet ground?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eVery well. It occurs naturally in swamps, bogs, and low woods, and tolerates seasonal flooding and heavy clay better than most ornamental shrubs. It is equally comfortable in ordinary garden soil, which is unusual for a wetland native. More shrubs at this scale are in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/shrubs\"\u003eShrubs \u0026amp; Bushes\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo deer eat it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChokeberry is consistently among the more deer-resistant native shrubs and is usually passed over even under real browse pressure. More reliable options are grouped in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/deer-resistant-shrubs-evergreens\"\u003edeer-resistant shrubs and evergreens\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Almanac Planting Co","offers":[{"title":"3 Gallon \/ Fall '26 Pre-Order","offer_id":47492754702498,"sku":"PN-chokeberryred-3-1yr","price":79.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0586\/9374\/6850\/files\/BrilliantRedChokeberry.jpg?v=1785942195","url":"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/brilliant-red-chokeberry","provider":"Almanac Planting Co","version":"1.0","type":"link"}