If you’re short on time and still getting your feet wet in the garden, you’re going to love the Aronia berry. These shrubs are incredibly low-maintenance, and the best part? You can easily propagate them yourself and harvest your own berries by fall.
Propagating Aronia from Cuttings
Chokeberries (as Aronia is often called) can be grown from cuttings, root suckers, or seeds. Honestly, I wouldn’t bother with seeds—it’s a slow, tedious process. If you want quick results without being a pro, stick to cuttings or suckers. Here’s the step-by-step for growing from cuttings:
- Look for new growth—these shoots are usually thin and tend to hang down a bit.
- Snip off a shoot about 8 inches (20 cm) long.
- Trim the tips of the shoots down to the lower “eyes” or nodes.
- Pluck off about half of the leaves from the stem.
- Plant the cutting directly into the ground where you want the bush to grow.
- Keep the soil consistently moist while it establishes.
The best time for this is early fall when it’s still sunny and warm. The cutting will take root and settle in quickly, though keep in mind your Aronia won’t start blooming or fruiting until its second spring.
Using Root Suckers for New Plants
Root suckers are those little shoots that pop up directly from the root system next to the main plant. Usually, you want to prune these anyway because they steal energy from the mother plant. But here’s a pro tip: you can dig them up (make sure to get the roots!) and transplant them wherever you like. Just be sure to dig a deep hole when replanting, as Aronia likes to send its roots down deep.
