Is Amelanchier the new box?

Ask a non-gardening friend what they think about Amelanchier and the chances are you’ll get a blank look in return.

Ask a garden designer and you’re more likely to get a knowing nod. They may even go slightly misty-eyed.

It’s the small tree that ticks every box: spring blossom, elegant branching, superb autumn colour, modest proportions and an ability to look equally at home in a country garden or an urban courtyard.

Which makes the prospect of it disappearing from our planting palettes deeply unsettling.

We’ve spent the past decade adapting to the decline of box, as the twin challenges of blight and box tree caterpillars have ravaged one of Britain’s signature garden plants.

Now another stalwart may be facing a serious challenge of its own.

Speaking at The English Gardening School’s Graduation Day for students completing the One Year Good Gardening Diploma, award-winning garden designer Ann-Marie Powell challenged the next generation of gardeners to start planning for a future beyond one of the profession’s go-to trees.

“They are not coping well with climate change whatsoever. We must make sure we plant for biodiversity to make sure we’ve got food, shelter and habitats for our native insects and birds etc and that means making sure we are changing our plants. If we don’t and we lose our plants we lose all the biodiversity that they support.”

As our experience with box has demonstrated, replacing something used so widely is rarely a case of simply swapping one plant for another. One option may share box’s evergreen leaves, but it might not be sufficiently hardy to withstand a harsh winter, or it might grow faster than a gardener is prepared to clip.

Ann-Marie acknowledged the dilemma.

The reasons for Amelanchier’s popularity are obvious. Often sold as a graceful small multi-stem tree or shrub, it offers four seasons of interest without ever becoming overwhelming. Bronze foliage gives way to fresh green leaves beneath a canopy light enough to cast dappled shade.

White blossom is followed by berries quickly claimed by the birds before the leaves turn fiery scarlet and orange in autumn. Even in winter its elegant framework earns its place.

But as the summers get hotter, the tree can become susceptible to mildew particularly if the soil is dry, which can lead in turn to premature loss of leaves. The trees mainly originate from North America and are native to cooler woodland-edges where soil tends to stay reliably moist.

Eliot Barden, EGS tutor and Operations Director at Majestic Trees, agrees Amelanchier is no longer the failsafe choice. But he cautions it can still be planted - if the conditions are optimal.

“They are really struggling with the humidity and heat which means that they frequently get mildew and defoliate early,” he said.

“They’re not a complete write-off, and they are really good for wildlife, but you do need to do your due diligence on conditions.

“You need good air movement and soil that stays relatively moist.”

In a courtyard where air circulation could be a problem, irrigation can help the tree stay healthy.

One newer cultivar, Amelanchier “Rainbow Pillar” is proving a popular and resilient substitute for the more usually planted, A. lamarckii. Eliot says he’s never seen mildew on it and it features the usual blossom and spectacular autumn colour. Some designers even prefer its slightly more regular and upright habit.

Whether Amelanchier ultimately goes the way of box remains to be seen. For now designers are not abandoning it altogether. But they are becoming far more selective about where they plant it and increasingly willing to look beyond what was once considered the perfect small garden tree.

Heptacodium miconioides: Multi-stemmed shrub or small tree which is fast growing and shade tolerant. Unusually its white flowers bloom in summer and its green leaves are tinged with purple in autumn plus it has lovely peeling bark in winter. “A really good interest tree with summer flowers and an interesting leaf form.”

Koelreuteria paniculata: Broadheaded tree which features golden-yellow flowers at mid-summer and bladder-like fruits. Slow growing and wants well-drained soil. “Super heat-resistant.”

Malus toringo ‘Scarlett’: Dark pink blossom and leaves which turn from purple to green and then bright orange and reds. “A lot of Malus suffer from scab, but a multistem M. toringo “Scarlett” is an option.”

Cataegus x persimilis: Compact, broad-headed and good in an umbrella form. Persistent fruits and vibrant-coloured autumn foliage. Deeply rooting. “Great for early season pollinators”.

Parrotia persica ‘Bella’: Red flowers appear before leaves in spring, red-tinged leaves in summer and a good size for smaller gardens. Good climate tolerance and long-lived. “It has better autumn colour than the straight persica so arguably more ornamental”.

Mespilus germanica: The medlar, deep rooting and very hardy. It has peculiar fruits which need a good frost before eating. “Not a good idea over a patio but otherwise a better choice than many Malus”.