Nero Aronia Berry Plant

This plant produced fruit the second year it was in the ground here in zone 4. It gets full sun where it's at. The berries are about the size of a dime when you bite them at first they are sour and bitter but after being in your mouth for about 5 Seconds they turn sweet. A little pulp like flesh but not gritty. Works great to freeze them and then make multi berry fruit juice or smoothies once you have all your berries gathered for the season. If you leave them on the plant too long here in North Dakota the Hungry Birds will eat them.

No, they are Aronia melanocarpa, sometimes called "black chokeberries" (NOT chokecherries). Juneberries/serviceberries are saskatoons, or Amelanchier alnifolia.

Yes, they look very nice in the landscape planted together, with no ill effects.

My choke berry plants are doing fine. I live in Northern Ky. The 1st year may have minimal growth. I surround my plants with fish fertilizer and fresh dirt several times a year. My soil is a rocky brown clay under a decent top soil. Thanks

The only noted differences is the Viking has Xtra large berries and the Neroc only list as large size.
The Vikin has a maturity height of 5 - 6' tall x 5 - 6' wide. While the Nero will be approximately 3 - 4' tall x 3 - 4' wide.

Chlorosis is the usual suspect or the soil is far too alkaline or chalky. Another factor is drainage causing lack of oxidation to the roots and thus aerial parts above. Virus is unlikely! Turn the soil over and increase holes by puncturing the soil with a pitchfork avoiding the crown of the plant. Add ericaceous compost around the plant. Feed with a blueberry type fertilizer-tomato feed etc

Hi Barbara, Aronia berries are also known as chokeberries.

Aronia plants are hardy to -40 Celsius and can withstand +40Celcius easily. Aronia Nero a tetraploidal genetic interspecies hybrid of 75% Aronia Melanocarpa and 25% Mountain Ash tree is extremely robust. Both salt and drought resistant Nero will thrive anywhere, especially heavy or rocky soils. It can live over 50 years too!

If planted in semi shade even better for your area conditions and making sure adequate water is given every few days to stop berries shrivelling up in persistent dry climes or they do not size properly. Berry size is usually 1 to 1.5g or 10 to 16 mm wide. Bigger berries 2g + can be achieved with a good watering regime combined with nutrition. Viking is the same size usually. My Nero plant is 20 years old and still healthy!

Try deer netting,one problem with that is you have to keep adjusting it or the leaves will grow through and they get tangled.

It will grow. I had mine on the north side of my house the first year. Then I moved it to a spot that gets more sun because I wasn't sure how well it would produce fruit. If you're going for the ornamental aspect of it, you'll probably be fine.