shadbush, Juneberry, or serviceberry, any species of the genus Amelanchier of the family Rosaceae (rose family), chiefly North American shrubs or trees conspicuous in the early spring for their white blossoms. The bush is more often called shadbush on the East Coast (it is said to bloom when the shad are running); serviceberry is in general a Western name. The huckleberrylike fruits of native species were eaten by the Native Americans and are still sometimes collected. They are an important wildlife food. Some kinds of shadbush are cultivated for ornament. The wood is very hard. Shadbushes are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Rosaceae.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.