Saturday, April 23, 2016

The ShadBushes Have Bloomed


The ShadBushes Have Bloomed

Here in the Northeast US, as of this week I have noticed that the shadbushes have blossomed.  Shadbushes, also known as Serviceberry's or the botanical name Amelanchier, are a Native species of plant in America, especially in the Northeast US and up in Canada where the bush also goes by the name juneberry.  There are over 30 species of this plant in America, although there are only 2 or 3 varieties that grow in the northern hemispheres of Europe and Asia.  The shadbush is classified as a shrub or small tree in the Rose family.

For a quick reference a link to the Wikipedia article on this native new England species is here-

Although the botanical Amelanchier goes by many names in New England it was commonly known as a shadbush because the shrub blooms during the same time that the shad runs in certain times in the early spring.  Indeed, last week I witnessed the US Fish and Wildlife stock Louissa Lake in Milford, MA. with over 400 rainbow trout (mid-late April)-- exactly one week later (4/22) I noticed that the blooms of the Shadbush had really matured.  I know that the readers of this blog will appreciate this insight about this native rose shrub, I just wish that more people had the capacity to tune in and notice the unique cycles of nature.

Also, I had noticed the shadbush up in the highlands in and around native stone-works sites.  I do not think this is a coincidence- at some point in the past I do believe these shrubs were intentionally planted in and around at such sites.

I found some pics of the shadbush on the internet I will share here-





4 comments:

  1. The shadbush is blooming here too - over by the fishweir!

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  2. Interesting observation about he word "shad". But perhaps it has some earlier meaning which got applied to both the fish and the flowering bush at this time of the year?

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