The candyfloss clouds of spring blossom are one of the highlights of my gardening calendar, right up there with the first ripe tomato and the peak of strawberry season. But whether it’s billowing masses of Japanese cherries or the sculpted blooms of magnolia, they all seem to have the same Achilles heel. After a fortnight at centre stage they retreat to being a generic, green backdrop for the rest of the year. Well, almost all.
Juneberry (Amelanchier alnifolia and A lamarckii) trees are bursting to life right now all over the country, with every tip of their thin, black branches topped with rosettes of delicate white flowers. But unlike most spring blossom, these easy-to-grow trees are a horticultural gift that keeps on giving. For after the flowers come little bunches of tasty, dark purple berries that look much like blackcurrants (hence the name juneberry). Their flavour is similar to a blueberry or blackberry, only much sweeter and with a less watery, more crisp texture similar to an apple or pear, to which they are related.
These crops are pretty substantial too, and start appearing even on 60cm-high saplings. Indeed, given their popularity as an edible crop in their native Canada, where they are known by the indigenous name “saskatoons”, I am surprised how little they are mentioned in the fruit section of British gardening books.
I first discovered them in the form of tinned pie filling in a Vancouver supermarket and have been making my own pies, jams and jellies from the fruit in my garden ever since. Add a handful to a bottle of gin, along with a generous dose of sugar and, you’ll thank me come the autumn.
But the appeal of the Juneberry doesn’t end there. In autumn their leaves erupt into beautiful shades of orangey reds and salmon pinks to round up the season with a bang. All this on a tree small enough to fit into even the tiniest urban gardens – my tree is just 3m high after nearly 10 years, yet has the sculptural shape of a much larger species.
It is not surprising that this is the tree of choice for designers of chic, postage stamp-sized gardens. They are also widely available and accessibly priced. Bonus! Flowers, fruit, autumn interest and easy to grow? It’s spring blossom with benefits.
How To Eat Better by James Wong is published by Mitchell Beazley on 6 April at £20. To order a copy for £17, go to bookshop.theguardian.com
Email James at james.wong@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @Botanygeek
