chokeberry, Aronia prunifolia

Despite their name, chokeberries are edible. But if you're going to try them, start with a very small sample before you decide to go whole hog. Lots of us stop there. The fruit is very astringent, and will pucker you up. Unlike green bananas and persimmons, that quality will not go away if you wait for them to ripen more. These days, with other choices so available, chokeberries don't get many chances. The flowers, particularly at this stage with anthers unopened, do have appeal. Two or three species are lumped together or split apart by various authors. That makes coming up with a definitive range a little puzzling. We will go with AL, CT, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV, LB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, and SPM. Wilderness State Park, Emmet Co MI, 6/1/11. Rose family, Rosaceae.