ARONIA MELANOCARPA `VIKING`

While we were admiring the beauty, toughness and hardiness of this Swedish introduction in the landscape, the Swede’s were back home doing the same yet taking it a step further. Rather than leaving its ample fruit to the birds each year, they were harvesting it because they already knew that it was off the charts for anti-oxidant content. Rather than making more birds healthy, they used the fruit in preserves, jams, fruit drinks and even wine to take full advantage of its great taste and strong health benefits. Now you can do the same with this very low maintenanace plant that will thrive even in the least fertile, roughest landscape spot. ‘Viking’ flowers in mid-May and will give rise to flattened heads of green fruit that turn jet black when they mature later in the summer. Be sure to net the plants when the fruit matures or you will fighting with your birds in a harvesting contest! After harvesting, enjoy the view in the fall as its deep green foliage turns fiery red as the weather cools!