Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance' 'Autumn Brilliance ...

Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ 

‘Autumn Brilliance’ Apple Serviceberry 1 

Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson 2 

INTRODUCTION 

Apple Serviceberry is a hybrid between 

Amelanchier canadensis and Amelanchier laevis that 

grows 15 to 25 feet tall (Fig. 1). Multiple stems are 

upright and highly branched forming a dense shrub, or 

if properly pruned in the nursery, a small tree. It is 

superior to the species in that it suckers less and is 

adapted to a wide range of soils, but tolerates some 

drought. This cultivar supposedly resists leaf spot 

better than the original hybrid. The main ornamental 

feature is the spectacular white flowers that are larger 

than those of other amelanchiers. The flowers are 

borne in early spring and are at first tinged with pink 

but later fade to white. The young leaves are purplish 

and the fall color is red, yellow or orange. Edible fruit 

attracts birds. Well-adapted for planting along 

residential streets where there is plenty of soil space 

beneath power lines. 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

Scientific name: Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn 

Brilliance’ 

Pronunciation: am-meh-LANG-kee-er x 

gran-dih-FLOR-uh 

Common name(s): ‘Autumn Brilliance’ Apple 

Serviceberry 

Family: Rosaceae 

USDA hardiness zones: 3B through 7 (Fig. 2) 

Origin: not native to North America 

Uses: container or above-ground planter; wide tree 

lawns (>6 feet wide); medium-sized tree lawns (4-6 

feet wide); recommended for buffer strips around 

parking lots or for median strip plantings in the 

Figure 1. Middle-aged ‘Autumn Brilliance’ Apple 

Serviceberry. 

Fact Sheet ST-78 

November 1993 

highway; near a deck or patio; specimen; residential 

street tree 

Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out 

of the region to find the tree 

1. This document is adapted from Fact Sheet ST-78, a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, 

Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: November 1993. 

2. Edward F. Gilman, associate professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, associate professor, Agricultural Engineering 

Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ -- ‘Autumn Brilliance’ Apple Serviceberry Page 2 

Figure 2. Shaded area represents potential planting range. 

DESCRIPTION 

Height: 15 to 25 feet 

Spread: 15 to 25 feet 

Crown uniformity: symmetrical canopy with a 

regular (or smooth) outline, and individuals have more 

or less identical crown forms 

Crown shape: upright; vase shape 

Crown density: moderate 

Growth rate: slow 

Texture: fine 

Foliage 

Leaf arrangement: alternate (Fig. 3) 

Leaf type: simple 

Leaf margin: serrate 

Leaf shape: elliptic (oval); oblong 

Leaf venation: pinnate 

Leaf type and persistence: deciduous 

Leaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches; less than 2 inches 

Leaf color: green 

Fall color: orange; red 

Fall characteristic: showy 

Flower 

Flower color: white 

Flower characteristics: spring flowering; very 

showy 

Fruit 

Fruit shape: round 

Fruit length: < .5 inch 

Fruit covering: fleshy 

Fruit color: red 

Fruit characteristics: attracts birds; suited for human 

consumption; no significant litter problem; persistent 

on the tree; showy 

Trunk and Branches 

Trunk/bark/branches: bark is thin and easily 

damaged from mechanical impact; routinely grown 

with, or trainable to be grown with, multiple trunks; 

grow mostly upright and will not droop; showy trunk; 

tree wants to grow with several trunks but can be 

trained to grow with a single trunk; no thorns 

Pruning requirement: needs little pruning to develop 

a strong structure


Figure 3. Foliage of ‘Autumn Brilliance’ Apple 

Serviceberry. 

Breakage: resistant 

Current year twig color: brown 

Current year twig thickness: thin 

Culture 

Light requirement: tree grows in part shade/part sun; 

tree grows in full sun 

Soil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; 

well-drained 

Drought tolerance: moderate 

Aerosol salt tolerance: moderate 

Soil salt tolerance: moderate 

Other 

Roots: surface roots are usually not a problem 

Winter interest: no special winter interest 

Outstanding tree: tree has outstanding ornamental 

features and could be planted more 

Invasive potential: little, if any, potential at this time 

Pest resistance: very sensitive to one or more pests 

or diseases which can affect tree health or aesthetics 

USE AND MANAGEMENT 

‘Robin Hill’ has an upright, tree-form growth 

habit, 20 to 25 feet tall, but is sensitive to drought. 

Pests 

Cambium miners cause concern when noticed but 

are not very damaging to the tree. The mines can 

extend from a twig all the way down to the roots. The 

mines are light colored lines in the bark. No controls 

are suggested. 

A leaf miner will mine leaves, particularly the 

lower half of the leaf. The mines are irregular in 

shape. 

The leaves of amelanchier are skeletonized by at 

least two insects. The first insect forms small cocoons 

on the undersides of leaves. Skeletonized leaves look 

as though they have windows in them after the insects 

scrape tissue off the top and bottom of the leaves. 

The second insect is the larva of the pear sawfly. The 

larvae are black to greenish black and look slimy. 

Adult sawflies lay eggs in May and June and again in 

August. Heavily skeletonized leaves drop off. 

Several borers attack amelanchier. Healthy trees 

are considered less susceptible so regular fertilization 

and watering during dry spells will help prevent borer 

attacks. 

Spider mites will feed on amelanchier. These 

insects are hard to detect as they are so small. The 

main symptom of mite injury is the loss of green leaf 

coloration. If the infestation is heavy, very fine 

webbing may be seen. Horticultural oil sprays help 

control mite infestations. 

Aphids of several types suck juices from 

amelanchier. Heavy infestations cause distortion of 

the foliage and new growth, and deposit large amounts 

of sticky honeydew on lower foliage. Black sooty 

mold will grow on the honeydew.


Diseases 

Witches broom, also called black mildew, infects 

the growing point causing the formation of many 

stems. The cluster of stems is called the witches 

broom. Another symptom is a black fungal growth, 

coating the undersides of the leaves. The damage to 

the tree is usually not serious and the brooms can be 

pruned off. No chemical controls are suggested. 

Leaf blight can cause leaf drop when a severe 

infection occurs. The disease causes small purple 

spots on the leaves. The spots enlarge and turn brown, 

later a small black dot will be seen in the center of the 

spot. Large numbers of spots cause infected leaves to 

drop. 

Fire blight is characterized by the sudden wilting 

and death of branch tips. The blossoms wilt, blacken 

and hang on the twig. The bark is shriveled and has 

small bumps or blisters on it. Sometimes gum oozes 

out of the infected area and a crack forms between the 

diseased and healthy bark. Control with chemicals is 

difficult. Diseased branches should be pruned out. 

Make the cut at least four inches beyond the diseased 

area. Disinfect pruning tools with bleach between 

cuts. Fertilizing heavily with nitrogen increases 

susceptibility to fire blight. 

Powdery mildews of several types cause white 

powdery growth on the leaves of amelanchier. Late in 

the season no controls may be needed. 

Fruit rot be a problem in wet weather. The fruits 

are often eaten by birds so may not be around long 

enough to become diseased. 

Cedar rusts can be troublesome.

Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance' 'Autumn Brilliance ...

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