Black Chokeberry Seeds - Aronia Melanocarpa - Nutritious & Perennial
Quantity: 20 Seeds
Black Chokeberry, aka Aronia Melanocarpa is an excellent fruit in the Rose family, Rosaceae. Aronia originates in North America, but have become widespread in gardens across the world. It lives its life as a perennial, and is hardy all the way down to zone 3. They get their name because the raw berries taste so astringent that it puckers ones mouth and throat, making it difficult to swallow; however, when cooked and sweetened, it transforms into one of the tastiest fruits imaginable. Popular uses include wine, jam, sauce, juice, cordial, shrubs, and more.
As well as being so versatile in the kitchen, the berries are highly nutritious too. They're a great source of polyphenols and antioxidants, in fact, they're said to have more antioxidants than any other fruit native to North America. The berries also contain vitamins A, C, E, K, and minerals such as manganese, folate, iron, calcium, potassium, and more.
Another great feature of this plant is that it fruits in abundance. it's so easy to get many pounds of fruit from a single bush. They are self fertile, so only one plant is necessary; however, they're so great that you'll thank yourself years down the road for planting more than just one. Aronia branches are pretty sturdy, so staking or support is not necessary.
All seeds are organic and open pollinated.
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Growing Instructions
For the highest yields, It’s best to start Aronia seeds in pots outside around the time of first frost. If this isn't possible, then a 3 month stratification at 2ºC will be sufficient, and then the seeds can be sown in the spring. It's good to sow them in a sterile growing medium; most available seed starting soils should do the job nicely; we use sunshine mix (peat moss and perlite). Sow the seeds 1/8 inch deep, and the soil should be kept moist, but not damp. place the pot of stratified seeds at 15ºC until tiny sprouts emerge from the soil. A heat mat can aid in this step, but it's not necessary. Once germinated, and the first true leaf has formed, it's time to pot up to a larger container that contains a good quality potting soil. Transplant to their final location when the nighttime temperatures outside are consistently 10°C or higher; here at the farm, this is around mid May.