This species, like the next one [Aronia prunifolia], grows only in slightly acid soil. In the lake area it grows in moist, sandy woods and tamarack bogs and on the borders of lakes; in the southern part of the state it grows in moist or wet, hard clay soil and on the exposed parts of sandstone cliffs. It is not frequent but common where it is found in the north, and rare to very rare in the south where there are generally only a few plants in a place or in very small colonies. It is usually 2-5 feet high.

Much like no. 1 [Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Elliott], but the twigs, pedicels, and lower surfaces of the lvs generally glabrous or nearly so, varying to seldom somewhat more evidently hairy; lvs not turning bright red; fr black, ripening earlier and soon withering, but sometimes persistent; 2n=34. Similar habitats; Nf. and s. Lab. to n. Ga. and Ala., w. to e. Minn., ne. Io., and se. Mo., widely overlapping the range of no. 1, especially northward, but wanting from the coastal plain and adjacent piedmont. May-July, fr Aug.-Oct. (Pyrus m.)

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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