What are chokeberries?

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) and red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) are deciduous, multi‑stemmed shrubs native to eastern North America. They typically grow 3–8 feet tall, with clusters of white to pinkish spring flowers, glossy dark green summer foliage, colorful fall leaves, and showy berries that persist into winter.

• Black chokeberry: usually 3–6 feet tall, with blackish‑purple fruit and red to orange fall color.

• Red chokeberry: often 6–8 feet tall, with bright red fruit and brilliant red fall foliage.

Their flowers appear in clusters (corymbs) in spring, followed by abundant, very astringent berries that give the shrubs their common name.

Wildlife and Pollinator Benefits

Chokeberries are high‑value wildlife shrubs that support many species throughout the year.

• Pollinator‑rich blossoms: The spring flowers are visited by bees, butterflies, and other pollinators for nectar and pollen. Native bees, mason bees, mining bees, and butterflies all use the blooms, making Aronia an important early‑season resource.

• Fruit for birds and mammals: The berries are eaten by songbirds and small mammals, especially in late winter when other foods are scarce; fruits often persist on the branches until they are raisin‑like.

• Shelter and structure: Dense, twiggy growth and suckering habit provide cover, nesting sites, and thicket habitat for many birds.

Some sources also note Aronia as a host plant for a number of moth and butterfly species, further increasing its insect value.​

How Chokeberry Helps a Hummingbird‑Attracting Garden

Chokeberry doesn’t function like a trumpet vine or salvia—its flowers are open, not tubular—but it still supports hummingbirds in several important ways.

1. Habitat structure, perches, and cover

Multi‑stemmed chokeberry shrubs create thickets and layered structure that hummingbirds use for perching and quick cover between feeding and bathing. When planted near nectar beds and water features, they can:

• Offer shaded perches where hummingbirds rest and preen between feeder or flower visits.

• Provide safe “escape” spots if a predator appears.

• Help break up open lawn, turning a flat yard into a three‑dimensional habitat with vertical interest.

This structural role is especially valuable in small and suburban gardens, where adding a native shrub layer makes the space feel more secure to hummingbirds and other birds.

2. Supporting the insect food web

Ruby‑throated and many western hummingbirds rely on small insects and spiders for protein, especially during nesting and migration. By attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators with their nectar‑rich blossoms, chokeberries help maintain a robust insect community in your yard.

Aronia is documented as a host for numerous moth and butterfly larvae, which means its foliage helps raise the very insects that hummingbirds and songbirds later eat. A garden with chokeberries, other native shrubs, and diverse perennials will generally support far more insect prey than one planted with non‑native ornamentals alone.​

3. Seasonal complement to hummingbird plants

Chokeberries shine in spring (flowers), autumn (foliage and fruit), and winter (berries for birds), while many classic hummingbird plants dominate from late spring through summer.

In a hummingbird garden, chokeberry works best when you:

• Use it as a backdrop behind hummingbird nectar plants like bee balm, salvias, columbine, cardinal flower, agastache, and native honeysuckle.

• Position it near—but not shading out—hummingbird feeders or water features, so birds have nearby safe perches and “lookout” posts.

• Let it form small thickets or hedges along fences, woodland edges, or property lines, where hummingbirds can patrol their territories.

While chokeberry flowers may occasionally be visited by hummingbirds in passing (especially where both are abundant), its main contribution is habitat and insect support rather than direct nectar.

Growing Chokeberry in a Hummingbird‑Friendly Landscape

Both black and red chokeberry are adaptable, low‑maintenance shrubs that fit easily into wildlife gardens.

• Hardiness: Generally hardy in USDA zones 3–8/9 depending on species and cultivar.

• Light: Full sun to partial shade; more sun usually produces better flowering, fruiting, and fall color.

• Soil: Tolerates a wide range—from seasonally wet to fairly dry—and is often recommended for rain gardens, slopes, and naturalized plantings.

• Form: Slowly suckering shrubs that can form colonies, useful as hedges, screens, or natural thickets.

For a hummingbird‑focused design, consider:

• Planting a row or drift of chokeberries along the back of a pollinator bed, with hummingbird perennials in front.

• Pairing them with other native shrubs (e.g., viburnums, witch hazel, serviceberry) to create a varied shrub layer.

• Leaving some leaf litter and seedheads nearby to support overwintering insects and additional bird food.

Human Uses and Four‑Season Interest

Beyond wildlife value, chokeberries are increasingly popular for their ornamental and edible qualities.

• Ornamental impact: Masses of spring flowers, glossy berries that hang into winter, and fiery fall foliage rivaling burning bush make Aronia an attractive alternative to invasive shrubs.

• Edible fruit: The berries are extremely astringent fresh but can be used in juices, jams, jellies, and syrups and are sometimes marketed as “aronia berries” with high antioxidant content.

This four‑season appeal makes chokeberry an easy sell to gardeners who want both beauty and ecological function in their hummingbird‑friendly yard.

Bottom line

Chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa and A. arbutifolia) may not be classic hummingbird nectar shrubs, but they are excellent native companions in a hummingbird garden, adding structure, supporting pollinators and insect prey, and feeding other birds through fall and winter. Pair them with hummingbird flowers and water features, and they help turn your yard into a rich, multi‑layered habitat that benefits far more than just one species.