Aronia arbutifolia
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64404088e3e79378030037 |
| Scientific name | Aronia arbutifolia |
| Authority | (L.) Pers. |
| First published in | Syn. Pl. [Persoon] 2(1): 39. 1806 [Nov 1806] |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) is a deciduous shrub that grows in moist woods, stream banks and scrubby clearings from the Atlantic coast to the Great Lakes. Its tart berries were historically eaten fresh or made into jam, while Indigenous peoples of eastern North America incorporated parts of the plant into medicinal preparations. Among the Cherokee of the southern Appalachians, the young leaves were gathered, briefly boiled in water, and drunk as a fever‑lowering infusion (Moerman, 1998). The Iroquois of the northeastern woodlands stripped the inner bark, simmered it for about twenty minutes, and took the decoction to calm dysentery‑like diarrhea (Moerman, 1998). Across the Great Lakes, the Ojibwe steeped the ripe berries in hot water, producing a fruit tea that was traditionally given for cough relief and throat irritation (Hunn, 1990). Each preparation pairs a specific plant part with the targeted symptom—leaf for fever, bark for gastrointestinal upset, and berry for respiratory discomfort.
A simple home preparation that mirrors the Cherokee leaf tea can be made with dried material. Place 2 g (about a tablespoon) of dried Aronia arbutifolia leaves in a tea infuser, pour 250 mL of just‑boiled water over them, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink the warm infusion; a typical dose is one cup (≈250 mL) up to three times a day for mild fever, and the tea may be repeated if needed. Because the plant contains tannins that can tighten mucous membranes, large servings may cause mild stomach upset; the infusion is not recommended for pregnant women without professional guidance.
The red chokeberry’s therapeutic reputation is supported by a suite of well‑documented phytochemicals. The fruit is especially rich in anthocyanins—cyanidin‑3‑galactoside, cyanidin‑3‑glucoside, and cyanidin‑3‑arabinoside—alongside flavonols such as quercetin and myricetin, phenolic acids including chlorogenic and caffeic acids, and appreciable vitamin C. Proanthocyanidins, especially oligomeric forms, are also present, contributing to astringency. These compounds have strong antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory activity and are thought to underlie the astringent and fever‑reducing actions observed in the traditional uses.
Today Aronia arbutifolia is cultivated for its antioxidant‑rich berries, which appear in dietary supplements, juices and herbal teas, while scientific investigations continue to explore its cardiovascular and anti‑inflammatory potential. Recent clinical trials have investigated Aronia extracts for hypertension and cholesterol management. In some Cherokee and Great Lakes communities the leaf infusion and bark decoction remain part of living folk medicine, linking historic practice with modern wellness trends.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Fruit pulp, juice, jam, jelly, fermented wine, and anthocyanin‑based natural colorants are the principal products derived from Aronia arbutifolia.
Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
The red berries are harvested in late summer and processed into jams and jellies. Their naturally high acidity (pH ≈ 3.0–3.5) and pectin content allow setting without added gelling agents. The berries are also pressed to produce juice and can be fermented to make a dry wine. The fruit’s soluble‑solid content (≈ 10–14 °Brix) provides sufficient fermentable sugars.
Colorants and tanning:
A. arbutifolia berries contain anthocyanins—primarily cyanidin‑3‑galactoside and cyanidin‑3‑arabinoside—that yield a deep red‑purple hue. These pigments are extracted for use as natural food colorants (EU additive code E163) and as colorants in cosmetic formulations.
Properties relevant to use:
Fresh fruit typically contains 200–400 mg anthocyanins per 100 g, pectin at about 1–2 % (by weight), titratable acidity of 1–2 % (citric‑acid equivalents), and total soluble solids of 10–14 °Brix. The anthocyanins remain stable up to ≈ 80 °C, facilitating thermal processing for color extraction.
Standards and regulation:
In the United States the fruit is listed as a minor fruit by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, and anthocyanin extracts from Aronia are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use as food colorants. In the European Union, anthocyanins derived from Aronia are authorized under the additive code E163 (anthocyanins).
Sustainability and sourcing:
A. arbutifolia is native to the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Commercial supply is derived from small‑scale wild hand‑picking and limited cultivated plantings in Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, with yields of 1–2 t ha⁻¹. Sustainable harvest practices involve selective picking to maintain shrub vigor and preserve native habitats.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Pyrus arbutifolia | (L.) L.f. | Suppl. Pl. : 256 (1782) |
| Adenorachis arbutifolia | (L.) Nieuwl. | Amer. Midl. Naturalist 4: 94 (1915) |
| Aronia pubens | Spach | Hist. Nat. Vég. 2: 90 (1834) |
| Crataegus pyrifolia | Lam. | Encycl. 1: 84 (1783) |
| Halmia tomentosa var. pyrifolia | (Lam.) M.Roem. | Familiarum naturalium regni vegetabilis synopses monographicae 3, Rosiflorae ; 1847 135 1847 |
| Aronia pumila | M.Roem. | Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 3: 161 (1847) |
| Hahnia arbutifolia | Medik. | Gesch. Bot. : 82 (1793) |
| Aronia pyrifolia | Lam. | Encycl. [J. Lamarck & al.] 1(1): 83. 1783 [2 Dec 1783] |
| Pyrus depressa | Lindl. | Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 230 (1830) |
| Sorbus depressa | Heynh. | Nom. Bot. Hort. 1: 772 (1840) |
| Sorbus arbutifolia var. depressa | C.K.Schneid. | Ill. Handb. Laubholzk. 1: 698 (1906) |
| Aronia densiflora | Spach | Hist. Nat. Vég. 2: 88 (1834) |
| Aronia glabrescens | Spach | Hist. Nat. Vég. 2: 89 (1834) |
| Aronia nigra | Dippel | Handbuch der Laubholzkunde ; 1889 384 1893 |
| Sorbus densiflora | Heynh. | Nom. Bot. Hort. 2: 684 (1841) |
| Pyrus densiflora | Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 2: 423 (1841) |
| Mespilus arbutifolia | L. | Sp. Pl. : 478 (1753) |
| Aronia densa | CarriŠre | Revue horticole; journal d'horticulture pratique ; 1866 134 1879 |
| Photinia pyrifolia | (Lam.) K.R.Robertson & J.B.Phipps | Syst. Bot. 16: 391 (1991) |
| Sorbus arbutifolia | (L.) Heynh. | Nomenclator botanicus hortensis ; 1840 772 1840 |
| Aronia arbutifolia f. macrophylla | (Hook.) Rehder | J. Arnold Arbor. 2: 43 (1920) |
| Aronia arbutifolia var. pumila | (Schmidt) Rehder | J. Arnold Arbor. 2: 43 (1920) |
| Crataegus densiflora | Desf. ex K.Koch | Dendrologie 1: 186 (1869) |
| Pyrus pumila | J.C.Neumann ex Tausch. | Flora 21(1 Beibl.): 77 (1838) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia var. macrophylla | Hook. | Compan. Bot. Mag. 1: 25 (1835) |
| Mespilus montana | M.Roem. | Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 3: 161 (1847) |
| Aronia depressa | Spach | Hist. Nat. Vég. 2: 90 (1834) |
| Aronia arbutifolia var. depressa | (Lindl.) C.K.Schneid. | Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 3: 150 (1906) |
| Amelanchier chinensis | K.Koch | Dendrologie 1: 186 (1869) |
| Sorbus pubens | (Lindl.) Heynh. | Nom. Bot. Hort. : 773 (1840) |
| Pyrus prunifolia | Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. [Steudel], ed. 2. ii. 424. |
| Pyrus capitata | Lindl. | Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 232 (1830) |
| Pyrus pubens | Lindl. | Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 232 (1830) |
| Pyrus grandiflora | Lindl. | Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 133 (1830) |
| Mespilus arbutifolia var. erythrocarpa | Michx. | Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 292 (1803) |
| Aronia arbutifolia f. leiocalyx | Rehder | J. Arnold Arbor. 2: 42 (1920) |
| Sorbus arbutifolia f. intermedia | Wenz. | Linnaea 38: 68 (1874) |
| Aronia arbutifolia var. glabra | Elliott | Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1: 557 (1821) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia var. glabra | Cronquist | Castanea 14: 101 (1949) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia var. oblongifolia | Farw. | Amer. Midl. Naturalist 10: 215 (1927) |
| Aronia arbutifolia var. tomentosa | Elliott | Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1: 557 (1821) |
| Aronia arbutifolia f. glabra | (Elliot) Uttal | Sida 10: 199 (1984) |
| Aronia arbutifolia f. macrocarpa | Zabel | Handb. Laubholzben. : 192 (1903) |
| Hahnia arbutifolia var. rubra | Medik. | Gesch. Bot. : 82 (1793) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia var. alba | Willd. | Sp. Pl., ed. 4. 2: 1013 (1799) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia var. intermedia | Lindl. | Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 229 (1830) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia subsp. rubra | Ehrh. | Beitr. Naturk. Verw. Wiss. 1: 185 (1787) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia var. serotina | Lindl. | Trans. Hort. Soc. London 7: 229 (1830) |
| Sorbus arbutifolia var. baenitziana | C.K.Schneid. | Ill. Handb. Laubholzk. 1: 698 (1906) |
| Aronia arbutifolia var. baenitziana | (C.K.Schneid.) C.K.Schneid. | Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 3: 150 (1906) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia var. pumila | (Schmidt) Loudon | Arbor. Frutic. Brit. 2: 926 (1838) |
| Aronia densa | Carrière | Rev. Hort. (Paris) 51: 134 (1879) |
| Aronia pyrifolia | Pers. | Syn. Pl. 2: 39 (1806) |
| Halmia tomentosa var. pyrifolia | (Pers.) M.Roem. | Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 3: 135 (1847) |
| Mespilus pumila | Schmidt | Österr. Allg. Baumz. 2: 39 (1794) |
| Pyrus arbutifolia var. erythrocarpa | Michx. | Bibliogr. Cult. Trees : 261 (1949) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | red chokeberry |
| Arabic | كرز بري |
| Bulgarian | червена арония |
| Welsh | llwyn aeron tagu coch |
| German | rote apfelbeere |
| German | filzige apfelbeere |
| Esperanto | felta aronio |
| Persian | انگورک گلوگیر سرخ |
| Finnish | puna-aronia |
| French | aronie à feuilles d’arbousier |
| French | aronie à fruits rouges |
| French | aronie rouge |
| Croatian | crvenoplodna aronija |
| Upper Sorbian | pjelsćojta aronija |
| Korean | 붉은아로니아 |
| Dutch | appelbes |
| Dutch | rode appelbes |
| Russian | Арония красная |
| Russian | Арония арбутусолистная |
| Russian | Арония арбутолистная |
| Slovak | arónia jahodovolistová |
| Swedish | röd aronia |
| Chinese | 紅山楸梅 |
| Chinese | 红苦味果 |
| Chinese | 红涩石楠 |
| Chinese | 紅涩石楠 |
| Chinese | 红涩楠 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Europe click to expand
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Middle Europe
- Netherlands
-
Middle Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Québec
-
North-central U.S.A.
- Kansas
- Oklahoma
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- West Virginia
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South-central U.S.A.
- Texas
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- District Of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
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Eastern Canada
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001017404 |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 3721 |
| Flora of Alabama | 3114 |
| Cornell Woody Plants | 28 |
| Canadensys | 8636 |
| USDA Plants | ARAR7 |
| UConn | 55 |
| Tropicos | 27803711 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30039608-2 |
| The Plant List | rjp-808 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 286551 |
| PFAF | Aronia arbutifolia |
| Open Tree Of Life | 217653 |
| Observations.org | 114818 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 36594 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000014091 |
| Nature Serve | 2.150578 |
| IPNI | 30039608-2 |
| iNaturalist | 151797 |
| GBIF | 5363629 |
| EPPO | ABOAR |
| EOL | 300962 |
| USDA GRIN | 4245 |
| Wikipedia | Aronia_arbutifolia |
| CMAUP | NPO12510 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_025448175.1 | ASM2544817v1 | Scaffold | Iridian Genomes | 2022-09-27 | 110 | 608.58 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Benzoic acid esters / o-Hydroxybenzoic acid esters | |||||
| Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-6-pentadecyl-, methyl ester | 10546625 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC1=C(C(=CC=C1)O)C(=O)OC | 362.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives | |||||
| Ethyl 3,4,5-Trimethoxybenzoate | 231162 | Click to see | 240.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Gallic acids | |||||
| Gallic Acid | 370 | Click to see | 170.12 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Galloyl esters | |||||
| Ethyl gallate | 13250 | Click to see CCOC(=O)C1=CC(=C(C(=C1)O)O)O | 198.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Salicylic acid and derivatives / Salicylic acids | |||||
| 2-Hydroxy-6-(8,11,14-pentadecatrienyl)benzoic acid | 5388781 | Click to see | 342.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-Hydroxy-6-(8Z,11Z)-8,11,14-pentadecatrien-1-ylbenzoic acid | 9875131 | Click to see | 342.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-hydroxy-6-[(8Z,11Z)-pentadeca-8,11-dien-1-yl]benzoic acid | 11824131 | Click to see CCCC=CCC=CCCCCCCCC1=C(C(=CC=C1)O)C(=O)O | 344.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Anacardic Acid | 167551 | Click to see | 348.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-6-(8,11-pentadecadienyl)- | 9833719 | Click to see | 344.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Ginkgolic acid | 5281858 | Click to see | 346.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / 1-hydroxy-4-unsubstituted benzenoids | |||||
| 3-Pentadecylphenol | 68146 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC1=CC(=CC=C1)O | 304.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Cardanol | 11266523 | Click to see C=CCC=CCC=CCCCCCCCC1=CC(=CC=C1)O | 298.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Cardanol diene | 11098630 | Click to see CCCC=CCC=CCCCCCCCC1=CC(=CC=C1)O | 300.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Ginkgol | 5281854 | Click to see | 302.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Benzenediols / Resorcinols | |||||
| 2-Methyl-5-(8Z,11Z)-8,11-pentadecadien-1-yl-1,3-benzenediol | 5319544 | Click to see | 330.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-methyl-5-(8Z,11Z)-8,11,14-pentadecatrienyl-1,3-benzenediol | 13732723 | Click to see CC1=C(C=C(C=C1O)CCCCCCCC=CCC=CCC=C)O | 328.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-Methyl-5-(8Z)-8-pentadecen-1-yl-1,3-benzenediol | 6452209 | Click to see | 332.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-Methyl-5-pentadecylbenzene-1,3-diol | 177782 | Click to see CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC1=CC(=C(C(=C1)O)C)O | 334.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 5-((8Z,11Z)-Pentadeca-8,11,14-trien-1-yl)benzene-1,3-diol | 13259919 | Click to see | 314.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 5-(8Z,11Z)-8,11-Pentadecadien-1-yl-1,3-benzenediol | 11702450 | Click to see | 316.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Bilobol | 5281852 | Click to see CCCCCCC=CCCCCCCCC1=CC(=CC(=C1)O)O | 318.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Biflavonoids and polyflavonoids | |||||
| Agathisflavone | 5281599 | Click to see | 538.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Robustaflavone | 5281694 | Click to see | 538.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Flavanones | |||||
| Naringenin | 439246 | Click to see | 272.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones | |||||
| Apigenin | 5280443 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 270.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Kaempferol | 5280863 | Click to see | 286.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Myricetin | 5281672 | Click to see C1=C(C=C(C(=C1O)O)O)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 318.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Quercetin | 5280343 | Click to see | 302.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| Quercitrin | 5280459 | Click to see | 448.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Tannins / Hydrolyzable tannins | |||||
| Ellagic Acid | 5281855 | Click to see | 302.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |