Have you ever heard of aronia berries, also known as black chokeberries? They are not the same as choke cherries.
I had never heard of them until a week or so ago when something popped up somewhere that I saw and it was talking about aronia berries. I know that we shouldn’t believe everything we read but, when it comes to something natural, i’m all for trying it. This article talks about some of the health benefits but it also says to be careful not to eat too much of a good thing.
Of course, they can be eaten raw, they can be juiced and you can drink the juice or use it in recipes. You can make bread, pies, jams, jellies, wines, syrups – most anything you could use any other fruit to make, you could use aronia berries. I saw an aronia banana bread recipe so I’ll probably just throw some in with my banana bread once I have aronia berries.
You probably already know where this story is headed. I ordered two plants from Stark Bros. and they arrived yesterday. They are tiny little rascals in 4″ pots and they wouldn’t have a chance if I planted them in the ground now so I’ll probably keep them in those little pots til they grow a little, then put them in bigger pots and then later, put them in even bigger pots, keep them in the greenhouse this winter and set them out next spring. That will give the a better chance of survival in this hot, dry climate with lots of bugs that want to devour juicy plants.
What I’m thinking is . . we can never leave this place. We’re going to have so much good stuff planted and producing that leaving gets harder by the day. I was thinking this morning that I can make syrup and jam or jelly from elderberries, aronia berries, prickly pear, agarita, jujube – lots of things many people have never heard of and it’s all growing right here at our house. It’s not a bad place to be!
Check out aronia berries if you’re not familiar with them. Between the elderberries, goji berries and now the aronia berries, we’re going to be so healthy . . if we lay off the lemon cake! 🙂
Dotti says
Actually, it does sound like a “berry” nice place to be. Sorry, could not resist!.
Judy Laquidara says
Funny! 🙂
Diane in CA says
Or you can sell your wonderful trees and house to younger people who will love them like you do and move somewhere without scorpions and grasshoppers and everything else that wants to bite you and eat your stuff..
Judy Laquidara says
I don’t think there are a lot of younger people willing to live in this area. Most young people seem to leave and then some come back as they get older. Not much here for young people. Our best bet will be to sell it to someone wanting a place for hunting and they won’t care at all about the fruit trees but, when it’s time to go, we’ll sell it to anyone who wants to buy it.
Nelle Coursey says
And when you add in all your friends here, you can never leave us!! LOL
Tee says
I bought a 4 pack from Stark Bros 3 years ago and have 2 left growing, but are very small even after 3 years of growth. Our neighbor has a big field of them. Migrant workers come to pick for them, as the bushes are 5 ft tall and as wide. They put up a sign last year as a pick your own and I didn’t see the migrant workers, so I wondered if the commercial aspect of the berries has fallen to the bottom. I had thought I would do the same as they are, plant a big field of them for profit, but not until I retire. The start of them being a health food comes from Iowa, where there is a society and an annual festival.
Judy Laquidara says
I had bought my elderberries from Stark so I was expecting these to be much bigger, even though the listing plainly said 4″ pot. I’ve been seeing a lot about them lately so maybe the market will come back for them. Good luck if you decide to grow them for profit.
dezertsuz says
I haven’t heard of them, but I’ll investigate them now. Do they like a wet and humid climate where it’s hot in the summer and freezing in the winter? If they do, then east TN could be the place they’d grow well! Except for blueberries, I like anything that has berry at the end of it.
Kathleen Schwitzner says
I have a fruit CSA (I live in Central IL) and she provides us with aronia berries and juice. The berries freeze well – just throw them in a ziploc and you’re good. I freeze the juice in ice cube trays. Then I make a cocktail of orange juice, 2 aronia cubes and some rum and that is mighty fine!
If you love cranberries, you will love aronia. They are tangy. Also put 5 berries in a smoothie for the health benefits.
Judy Laquidara says
Thanks! If I ever get berries, I believe that cocktail will be the first thing I try! 🙂