Amelanchier spp. of the family Rosaceae. There are at least 16 species in the genus Amelanchier that have the word serviceberry as all or part of one or more of their common names and I have no idea which of them are represented on this page except as specifically noted.
As to the name, "Service" berries because their blooms mean that the muddy back roads into the "coves and hollers" of Appalachia will soon be passable for circuit-riding preachers and the communities will be able to have Sunday services again. (Some say, more morbidly, that it means the ground is soft enough to dig, which means that those who died over winter can be buried and have services said over them.)
my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions
both sides of a sample plank of Western serviceberry / Amelanchier alnifolia --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Western serviceberry / Amelanchier alnifolia --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Western serviceberry / Amelanchier alnifolia --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of downy serviceberry / Amelanchier arborea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of downy serviceberry / Amelanchier arborea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. I assume that the dark streaks are gum deposits, but I don't know that for sure. I notice these in several other samples on this page.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of serviceberry / Amelanchier arborea --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Alleghany serviceberry / Amelanchier laevis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above but taken from the other end of the piece
both sides of a sample plank of Alleghany serviceberry / Amelanchier laevis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a small plank cut from one of the larger ones above. This has been sanded and you can see how that removed the slight patina from the plank and lightened and dulled the color.
closeup of a quartersawn portion of the plank above, and the end grain of the plank
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis, listed as june-berry, service-tree, shad-bush, and shad-blow) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views
web pics:
this is the web pic of a plank shown above with my own samples. Clearly the color in this pic is massively incorrect, showing the wood as orange when in fact it is brown. I do not have any indication that this vendor is dishonest, probably just doesn't have the time or expertise to do good pics or color correct them.
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