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Amelanchier- Lamarckii, Canadensis, Robin Hill or Ballerina?

Gaughan.davidGaughan.david Posts: 80
in Plants
Hi everyone,

I've FINALLY settled on an Amelanchier for a small South/West facing garden and am spoiled for choice, as well as extremely indecisive. 

I'll be buying multistemmed, and training it to have a nice canopy, rather than a bushy form. I'd like it to actually look like a tree eventually- not too small. I also don't want something that will be huge. The ideal canopy radius from trunk centre would be 1.5 to 2m, and the ideal canopy height would be about 2.5m and upwards.

Does anyone have any pictures, recommendations or ideas?

Thanks!


Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,847
    This one's lamarkii, planted as a young whip getting on for 30 years ago (and yes, it didn't get pruned/trained very well in the early years because I didn't know any better and there weren't lovely forums with knowledgeable people to get advice from). The top is a bit higher than the guttering (2-storey house). The flowers are over for this year and it will stay green until the leaves turn in Autumn.


    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 11,179
    Hello @Gaughan.david , different post I know but I posted photos of my birch trees to you last night as requested under your original discussion but now can't find any trace of it.  Have you received a GW email about it yet? Just curious.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Gaughan.davidGaughan.david Posts: 80
    Lizzie27 said:
    Hello @Gaughan.david , different post I know but I posted photos of my birch trees to you last night as requested under your original discussion but now can't find any trace of it.  Have you received a GW email about it yet? Just curious.
    Hi Lizzie,

    I saw your photos last night and commented- not sure where it's gone?! They pushed me over the edge into realising I need an Amelanchier as they're so huge, so thanks for that.

    D
  • Gaughan.davidGaughan.david Posts: 80
    edited April 2020
    JennyJ said:
    This one's lamarkii, planted as a young whip getting on for 30 years ago (and yes, it didn't get pruned/trained very well in the early years because I didn't know any better and there weren't lovely forums with knowledgeable people to get advice from). The top is a bit higher than the guttering (2-storey house). The flowers are over for this year and it will stay green until the leaves turn in Autumn.


    Jenny, that's gorgeous! Might be a little too big for my garden though. It's hard to tell! What would you say the lateral spread is from trunk to tips?

    D
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 8,847
    Maybe 2.5 to 3 metres across at the widest, so around 1 to 1.5 m out from the trunk, but it's not symmetrical (that's not the tree's fault). It isn't getting much bigger now though. I keep thinking about getting up there and doing a bit of thinning, but it always seems to be full of blackbirds.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,442
    I have a soft spot for Amelanchier.
    In old garden grew many.
    See a few pics...all named to help.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/albums/72157677854670723/page1
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,790
    We wanted to get a smaller Amelanchier, and Ballerina is one of the ones that fitted into that category.  Obelisk is also small, but is a fastigiate form.  Saw an article many years ago by an Amelanchier grower, and he said Robyn Hill has the best colouring.
  • Gaughan.davidGaughan.david Posts: 80
    edited April 2020
    KeenOnGreen said:
    We wanted to get a smaller Amelanchier, and Ballerina is one of the ones that fitted into that category.  Obelisk is also small, but is a fastigiate form.  Saw an article many years ago by an Amelanchier grower, and he said Robyn Hill has the best colouring.
    Thanks!

    Did you get a ballerina eventually?

    Robyn Hill is also an option, but I can't see them since the nursery is mail order only at the moment!

    D
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,507
    Have you considered a Rowan tree. Sorbus Joseph rock is a lovely tree with  creamy yellow berries and good autumn colouring 
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 11,179
    Hello @Gaughan.david , thanks for coming back to me. Will have another look for your posts - my laptop is extremely slow and keeps freezing these days, despite paying for extra fast broadband, due to the sheer volume of people using it I guess.

    If you google on Amelanchier 'Robyn Hill, you should be able to look at pictures. My Ballerina after 3-4 years is not much more than 5-6ft h x 2-3ft wide but is not in the best of positions, too much competition from nearby hedges/trees, but that's okay for me.

    Good choice!
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
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