Native to Eastern North America, Black Chokeberry thrives in low woods, swamps and bogs. The black chokeberry shows attractive white flowers in late spring. 'Nero' cultivar, like 'Viking', has been selected for commercial fruit production. It produces large clusters of black juicy Aronia berries that can be eaten fresh, or used to make jelly. Nero Aronia fruit weight from 1 to 1.5 gram per berry, and are very rich in antioxidants. Studies are showing wide-spread health benefits. Aronia melanocarpa 'Nero' reaches up to 1.8 m (6 ft) tall. Being 2 feet shorter than the variety, 'Viking' (8 ft), Nero fruits are easier to pick without using a ladder! In the fall, the leaves turn a vibrant reddish-orange colour.
